The Blossom Among The Shadows
by Just another stupid guy
Summary: He was broken. She was mysterious. There was peace. But peace doesn't last forever. Can Sakura save him? Was she what he needed? Could she settle the aching in his heart?
1. Chapter 1

**HEY GUYS AND GIRLS. THIS IS JUST A SIDE STORY THAT I AM TRYING TO TYPE AND I THOUGHT I WOULD POST IT AND HEAR WHAT YOU GUYS AND GIRLS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT IT. I DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD CONTINUE WITH IT BUT THIS WAS JUST PLAYING OVER AND OVER IN MY HEAD. IF YOU WANT TO GIVE ANY IDEAS OR WANT ME TO CONTINUE THEN MAYBE MESSAGE ME. IF YOU HATE IT THEN YOU CAN TELL ME AS WELL. I DON'T MIND. THIS STORY DOES SEEM A LITTLE SAD AND DEPRESSING AT FIRST AND IT DOESN'T REALLY GET ANY BETTER SO GOODLUCK.**

 **DISCLAIMER: NARUTO IS NOT MINE. I PREFER SHIKAMARU ANYWAY SO IF IT WAS MINE THEN I WOULD CHANGE THE NAME TO SHIKAMARU SHIPPUDEN!**

 **HAPPY READING:)**

He found himself there again. The land without life. The silent, calm surroundings only being brought to life by a single unbreakable flame. Yet there he was, standing amongst the lifelessness getting lost in old memories. The only comfort he had in the peaceful world.

"I hate you guys." He sighed as he said those words. Tears seemed to find their way down tired face. He took his right hand out of his pocket and wiped away the tears hoping that his sadness would be wiped away with it. His arm hung limply beside his side as he lowered his head allowing his tears to drip off his face onto the wind blown grass.

"Back again Shikamaru." He quickly regained his senses and furiously wiped his tears away hoping that she didn't see them.

"Yeah." He stood up straight and turned to the familiar sensei. Kurenai, his sensei's girlfriend. Former sensei that is. She had an array flowers in her hands as usual which always amused Shikamaru. He saw her bending to place the flowers in front of the tombstone but he immediately stopped her.  
"Let me." She smiled at him then handed the flowers over to him. He didn't think she couldn't do it but he didn't want her doing anything that lead to her falling and risk complicating her pregnancy. Asuma did tell him to look after his child in his absence and he was damn sure going to do it to the best of his ability. He gently laid the flowers down then went back to his position next to the kunoichi.

"He hated flowers."

"I know." He recalled all the missions with his sensei and remembered how he always tried to change the topic when Ino began talking about different flowers. He got poisoned once and refused to believe Ino when she told him that one of the plants and flowers in the area could cure him. Needless to say they needed him so that had to wait until he passed out until Ino could treat him.

"He always complained that there were too many flower pots at our apartment and I always complained about his smoking especially when I found out that I was pregnant."

"I think he started stressing more after that because his smoking increased rather than decreased."

"You should've seen him at home then. I hardly had a bump in my stomach and he began making sure that I eat enough vegetables and rested a lot." Their light chuckles began lightening the mood around them.

"My mom said that my dad was the opposite. When she told him that she was pregnant then he just replied with an 'oh okay' as if it was normal news. I'm pretty sure he got his ass handed to him after that."

"Your dad wasn't that bad towards the end. He was a lot like you are with me now. Made sure your mom had her regular check ups and didn't make her do any strenuous activities. I think telling any guy that you're pregnant triggers something in them and they start treating you like some valuable object."

"My dad's trigger must've been jammed for a while then." Their laughter silently filled the peaceful place.

"Your mom tells me that you have been spending a lot of time here." He could tell that she was worried about him. He hardly spoke to anyone after the war two months ago. Instead of hanging out with his friends, he decided to spend his time here amongst the dead. Instead of talking to anyone, he let his thoughts wander around here.  
"Shikamaru, it's time to move on." There are the words that everyone keeps telling him. How can he move on? He lost his sensei. Asuma wasn't just his sensei, he was like a big brother. He was his guardian. A couple of months after that he lost his father in the war. He lost his father. How can anyone move on after that?

"I can't." He looked down at the grass beneath him refusing to make eye contact with the kunoichi that was probably looking at him with great interest but a sincere look on her face. "When Asuma died, I went to go kill Hidan. I didn't get closure but I was able to move on. My father dies in the middle of the war and everyone around me just acts like it's normal and I have to continue like everything is fine. Now they want me to take his place and move on. I am not Asuma and I am not my father. I can't be them. I just can't." Tears streamed down his face now. He couldn't hold it in anymore. He just let it out. All his pain and agony released on the spot.

"Did Asuma explain who 'The King' really is?" He nodded his head in agreement too afraid to voice his answer. "My little girl isn't going to grow up with a father. It isn't her fault and it isn't my fault and it isn't your fault. We might be in a time of peace but the world is still unfair. Bad things happen to good people. Your father and Asuma were good people but they knew that every time they step outside this village then they would be willing to die to protect 'The King'. They couldn't do it by themselves. They needed people to help them. They knew that someday they wouldn't come back alive just like we know that which is why they prepared for it. They put everything they had in one place so that if they don't return then they won't leave this village without giving something back to it."

"What did they give back to the village?"

"You. Asuma is not going to know his daughter but you were always like a son to him. He taught you everything he knew. In the end, he saw you as his equal and not as his underling. Your father groomed you into the man you are today. You might not think that but he did. You never knew this but your father had a meeting with Lady Tsunade before the war started and told her that he was stepping down so that you can take his place. He didn't discuss it with anyone because he knew that you were ready. You were his pride even if he didn't want you to think that. Just like you, my daughter is not going to have a father or a teacher yet but Asuma trusted you enough to look after her and now I am trusting you enough to take care of her should anything happen to me."

"Don't talk like that." He was honestly scared now. Kurenai was telling him things he wasn't ready to hear. He didn't want to hear it. He knew she was telling the truth but he couldn't deny that he was scared. He was afraid to let anyone down. He was afraid of losing anyone else. He was afraid that he wasn't ready.

"Shikamaru look at me." He reluctantly pulled his gaze towards Kurenai's as she placed her hand on his shoulder. "You're ready. You will never be able to move on right now and you will never be the same. Losing one person you cared about is hard enough but losing two people is even worse. There's nothing anyone can say that will make you feel better but only you can take the first step to continue living. Asuma and your father trained you as best as they could so now it's your turn to carry on their legacy. It's your turn to lead and not follow anymore. It's your turn to protect 'The King'."

Kurenai was right. He couldn't feel sorry for himself forever. He was the leader of his clan now. It was time he started acting like it. Everyone will continue comparing him to his father but he can't follow in his father's footsteps anymore. He will have to make his own.

"I will try my best."

"That's all I can ask for. You won't be alone you know. You have all your friends still. They might all still be mourning the loss of their comrades and Neji but they've moved on as well."

"We're all split up now though. Choji is in ANBU with Sai, Tenten, Lee, Kiba and Shino. Sakura is making the impossible happen. She's like an icon now and so is Naruto. Ino took over her father's role with interrogation unit and Hinata is training with her sister. I think Hinata wants Hanabi to lead their clan."

"What are you going to do then?"

"I don't know. Kakashi asked me to be his assistant and advisor since he became the Hokage so maybe I will accept his offer. I don't think I should go out on missions right now anyway so it's better if I just get put behind a desk and work."

"At least you won't be coming here that much then." She had a victorious smile on her smile as she said those words. That was probably her goal from the beginning and Shikamaru played right into her hands. He really was off his game.  
"I'm heading to my last check up so do you want to come with?"

"Is something wrong?" Alarm set in for him. If something happened to Kurenai or her baby then he was definitely going to crazy.

"Relax, I'm fine and the baby is fine. I'm just going for my monthly check up." Relief washed over him. If this is what it was like to be a parent then he really wasn't cut out for it. "It seems like you inherited some of your sensei's stupidity as well. Every time I told him I was going for a check up then he thought that something was wrong."

"Isn't that why you go for the check ups because something is wrong?"

"Sometimes you go make sure that everything is right. You don't have to go every month like me but Asuma wanted me to and I guess it makes me feel safer."

"Looks like Asuma still gets to boss you around even when he's not here anymore."

"I've seen how you eat dinner at home. Your father still controls the way you eat even though you are the head of your clan now." She wasn't lying. Shikamaru could still hear his father's voice inside his head reminding him how to do things properly. It was annoying but Shikamaru didn't want that voice to go away any time soon.

"Like you said, it makes me feel safer." She came him a comforting smile then motioned for him to walk with her.

They silently exited the cemetery and began walking down the lively streets of Konoha. Shikamaru tried convincing Kurenai to take the streets with less crowded people for her own safety but she just flashed him a smile and told him that it would be alright. He wanted to believe her but his mind raced with the possibilities of what could happen to a pregnant lady walking down a crowded street. He should have more faith in her but he had seen too many bad things happen right in front of him that he couldn't help but be on high alert. He was relieved when they finally got to less crowded streets and could see the hospital in the distance. His mind then registered the distance they had just walked. It wasn't that long but for a pregnant lady it was long enough.

"I swear, if you try to convince me to stop and rest or do something else then I will beat you up right here while I am still pregnant." Kurenai threatened him.

"I wasn't going to say anything." He nervously tried to smile as he tried to figure out how she read his mind. They continued walking then finally made it to the entrance of the hospital.

"No wheelchair." Kurenai stared him down before he could protest to anything.

"Troublesome woman." He sighed then put his hands in his pockets and continued. He followed Kurenai because she clearly knew where she was going. She didn't even go to the front desk to check herself in or anything. She just want straight ahead.

"Sakura-chan." Kurenai happily greeted the young kunoichi. Sakura wore the standard medical attire for the hospital but her pink hair still stood out prominently. He was sure that he would recognise her pink hair in a sea of people.

"Good morning Kurenai-sensei." Sakura returned the greeting as Shikamaru closed the door behind him then sauntered over to the windowsill.

"Sorry I am a little late. Your friend over there couldn't stop worrying about me so we had to make regular stops along the way." Kurenai sneakily smirked at Shikamaru who ignored it and looked out at the perfect blue sky littered with puffs of white clouds.

"Pregnant women are just the same like regular women." Sakura told him.

"Except that they're carrying a precious life in their womb." Shikamaru didn't normally retaliate when he was being challenged like this but he cared about Kurenai and her child and he didn't want anything to happen to them.

"Don't underestimate a mother's womb. You would have to use a huge amount of force if you want to penetrate it with a kunai." Sakura definitely wasn't going to back down either. He knew Sakura was a strong woman in all sense of the word. She wasn't always like that though. He knew her since she was young when she and Ino used to hangout. When they saw Choji and Shikamaru hanging around and doing nothing then they would drag them to go play with them. They often got in trouble but they never stopped hanging out together.  
When they entered the academy then they started drifting apart. They boys hung out with the boys and the girls hung out with the girls. After classes they would still try and hangout together but it was different than before. Once they became genin and Sakura was placed in a different team then they Choji and Shikamaru would only see her when they were in the village or when Sakura and Ino hung out together but he never forgot her. She was... interesting.

"There's a reason why they tell pregnant women that they should rest a lot." Shikamaru continued looking up at the sky as he spoke. Sakura and Kurenai didn't seem to mind as Sakura began doing her check up.

"Mainly for their backs not to get sore so that they don't put any extra pressure on their hearts. You try carrying a baby in your womb for nine months." He couldn't help but smile as he heard Kurenai and Sakura let out a couple of laughs. He understood Sakura's humour better than most. Her intelligence was greater than most and he liked that she could challenge him on a more intense level but both of them knew that when it came down to it, Shikamaru would most probably be right. But that didn't stop Sakura from trying to get the lazy ninja's tongue twisted.

"Troublesome women." Shikamaru lazily let out then gave her some peace and quiet to focus in while she examined Kurenai. He felt much more anxious than usual. He knew he shouldn't but he couldn't help it. He found himself wishing he was a religious person. He even envied Hidan's religiousness at that moment. If only Shikamaru could lay his anxiety down at the foot of a god and pray that Kurenai's child is alright. He would be willing to dig Hidan up and ask him to teach him how to be half as religious as he was if Kurenai's child wasn't in perfect health.

"All clear Kurenai. You and your baby are as healthy as possible. You should be able to meet her in about 4 weeks if everything goes smoothly." Sakura's words washed over him with relief. He fought himself not to go over to Sakura and kiss her right now for quelling his anxiety.

"That's great news Sakura. Thank you." Kurenai didn't do the same as she stood up and gave Sakura a hug.

"There are some precautions that you have to take now. It's your last month so I advise you to get lots of rest and continue taking those pills that I gave you and stay away from the unhealthy food. Asuma isn't here to back me up anymore so I am giving that job to Shikamaru." Shikamaru immediately turned his attention to the two females.

"Why me? I wasn't even supposed to be here today."

"Well you are so you get to take care of Kurenai until the baby comes."

"He basically does that already." That was true as well. Ever since he came back from the war, he checked in with Kurenai every morning and every night before she went to bed. She tried getting rid of him but he just showed the next day and the next until she gave in. She even gave him Asuma's key to the apartment so that she didn't have to get out of bed every time he came to check up on her.

"Looks the lazy ninja is lazy no more." Sakura's immediately made him shoot her a glare which led to both women laughing.

"Don't you have some patients to kill?"

"They are perfectly capable of killing themselves but I can start with you."

"It's not my time yet but you'll be the first one I tell when it is my time."

"I look forward to it then." This time he smiled as she shot him her smile as well. He liked Sakura. Not romantically so much but he needed her around. She somehow got him. She knew when to push him and when to pull back. They were on the same wavelength you could say.

"If you two need the room then I can wait outside." Kurenai couldn't help but smirk at the two of them. It was as if she was seeing something that they weren't.

"Sakura there is something I need your help with." Lady Tsunade came into the room reading a scroll oblivious to everyone else in the room except Sakura.

"Good morning Lady Tsunade." Shikamaru greeted the former Hokage with a bow. She finally looked up and saw Kurenai sitting on the bed and Shikamaru standing by the window.

"Is everything okay?" Lady Tsunade asked looking a bit confused.

"Everything is perfect. Shikamaru came with me for my check up." Kurenai happily answered the older woman then slowly pushed herself off the bed.

"Anything to worry about?"

"Nope. Everything is on track. The baby should be here in about a month."

"Are you ready for the baby?"

"I am. Asuma did most of the work so Shikamaru and I just finished everything he set up for her. His daughter is going to be safe just like her daddy wanted." Kurenai instinctively put her hands on her protruding stomach.

"How are you holding up Shikamaru?" Lady Tsunade immediately turned her attention to him and examined him from head to toe.

"I've been better."

"Have you been sleeping?" He didn't know how Lady Tsunade could tell that he hadn't been getting enough sleep but somehow she knew.

"I've been sleeping enough."

"No you haven't."

"Is something bothering you Shikamaru?" Kurenai asked him but he could hear the concern in her voice now and he didn't like it. She had enough to worry about on her own so she didn't need to be worrying about him as well.

"Nothing is bothering me. I just can't seem to do anything so I am not tired enough to sleep properly I guess." That was the truth. He spent his days going to clan meetings or just visiting the cemetery. He didn't want to do anything else.

"Well get yourself together. The village needs you." Lady Tsunade told him.

"Yes ma'am." He immediately bowed out of habit.

"We should be going. Thank you again Sakura-chan." Shikamaru followed behind Kurenai as they walked to the door.

"Will I be seeing you tonight Shikamaru?" Sakura asked him before he reached the door. He didn't know what to say. He was confused mainly. He didn't plan on seeing Sakura or anyone else tonight. His plan was like every other night; have dinner with his mother, go to Kurenai's house to check on her, go home and get in bed and hopefully fall asleep.

"What's happening tonight?" He hoped he didn't sound stupid asking that question.

"Our friends are coming over to my house tonight to spend some time together. It's the first night in a long time that all of us will be here in the village at the same time. I asked Lee to tell you yesterday since Ino and Choji are only supposed to come back this morning." He hadn't seen Lee yesterday. Come to think of it, he hadn't seen Lee this week yet.

"I sent Lee and Tenten to go fetch some medical herbs outside the village yesterday. They should probably be back soon though." Lady Tsunade informed them.

"He will definitely be there tonight." Kurenai told Sakura.

"Thanks and can you tell Choji and Ino if you see them please?" Sakura asked him. He nodded in agreement then exited the room with Kurenai. They began making their way out of the hospital.

"Why didn't you tell me that you weren't sleeping?" He knew that Kurenai was going to begin questioning him about it and she definitely wasn't going to back down until she heard the truth.

"I didn't want you to worry about me. You need to take care of yourself."

"How can I not worry about you?"

"Isn't that my mom's job?" He jokingly asked but Kurenai immediately hit his head.

"I told you before that you were like Asuma's son so that makes you my family as well. If you have a problem and you can't talk to your mom about it then you can come to me." Kurenai really was like his mother. Hell, Kurenai, his mother, Ino's mother and Choji's mother became best friends after the war. He could literally go to any one of them with any problem he had and they would help him.

"I'm fine. I'm going to talk to Kakashi about being his assistant and advisor or whatever he wants me to do so I will get back to work and hopefully get into my usual routine again." That's what he hoped for. Whether or not it will happen is out of his control.

"Good. Don't scare me like this again."

"I will try and look after myself better and you will look after yourself better then as well."

"I already do look after myself. I'm craving ramen though."

"I think you've been hanging out with Naruto too much."

"I actually haven't seen Naruto around. Where is he?"

"Studying hopefully. He needs to study if he wants to become hokage. He has the strength."

"And you have the brain power to help him."

"I will be next to him if he becomes hokage but this is something he has to do on his own. There's no shortcut to becoming hokage."

"Do you really think he will be able to do it?" He knew that many people had their doubts about him becoming hokage so he had practise answering that question already. Everyone thought he was joking when he was younger and said that he wanted to become hokage. He even thought that Naruto was joking at one point but he saw how hard Naruto worked to become a genin so he believed that Naruto could do it and he wasn't the only one that believed.  
Hinata could see how hard he was trying and believed in him as well. They were from the exact opposite worlds but somehow they were drawn to each other even if he didn't want to show it. After the war they had grown closer though. Neji believed in Naruto and told him so before he died so Naruto had all of our support but not everyone wanted to nine tails jinchuriki as their hokage.

"I do. I believe in him."

"You seem sure that he can do it."

"If he doesn't then Sakura will beat him up."

"Talking about Sakura..." Kurenai grinned as she looked at him and he immediately knew why. "You two seem to have this connection you know." There it was.

"We're friends. We have been since before the academy days."

"I knew Asuma my whole life as well and look how we turned out. Well besides him dying." He couldn't help but laugh as Kurenai laughed as well. He was surprised by how comfortable she was talking about his death. He wasn't able to do it and he didn't think he would ever be able to but he was glad that she could.

"Asuma always loved you. Sakura is in love with Sasuke."

"I know love and I know that Sakura was in love with Sasuke but there is no love between them anymore." He suspected that much. After the war Sasuke and Naruto fought and got their arms blown off, idiots. Lady Tsunade built them arms but Sasuke didn't want one so he left the village again despite Sakura offering to go with him this time. After that it was like Sakura became more open. She wasn't pining over him anymore so she was free to do whatever she wanted to do.

"Love doesn't disappear."

"Obviously not. Sasuke and Sakura will still have that bond between each other but they're not in love with each other. I don't think Sasuke ever was anyway. You and Sakura get along perfectly though. Your banter is clearly more than just your everyday banter."

"There's nothing going on between us."

"Keep telling yourself that Shikamaru."

"Just focus on keeping you and your baby safe." Shikamaru let his frustration get the better of him as a light blush appeared on his face. Kurenai chuckled to herself as she watched the lazy ninja.

They continued on their way to her apartment and Shikamaru made sure that she was okay and comfortable, even though it was her own home. He then made his way to the Hokage's office taking the long way around hoping that he wouldn't bump into any of his friends. He got to the building without any delays and Shizune let him into the office.

"Hokage-san." Shikamaru immediately bowed when Kakashi looked up at him. His desk was filled with folders and paperwork just like Lady Tsunade's was and probably the other previous Hokage's as well.

"It's nice to see you again Shikamaru. How are you holding up?" He could tell that Kakashi was being sincere. Kakashi really changed after the war and after he became hokage. He became more... human. Not that he wasn't human before but he wasn't as openly caring as he was now. He became softer in a way but he would definitely not tell him that because he was sure that Kakashi could beat him with both hands tied behind his back.

"I'm good."

"That's good to hear. Do you need something?"

"I wanted to know if the position as your advisor was still available for me." His right eyebrow immediately jumped up but Shikamaru would bet that he was smiling under his mask.

"Are you sure that you're ready to begin working again?"

"Not immediately but maybe I could start working in a couple of days. A desk job is more than enough for now. I don't think I am able to go on missions right now."

"I understand. I look forward to working with you again Shikamaru."

"I look forward to working with you as well Hokage-san."


	2. Chapter 2

**HEY GUYS AND GIRLS. IT SEEMS LIKE PEOPLE LIKED READING THE FIRST CHAPTER SO I DECIDED TO TYPE ANOTHER ONE. I HOPE THIS ONE ISN'T AS DEPRESSING AS THE FIRST ONE. I'M NOT USED TO THESE LONG CHAPTERS SO FORGIVE ME IF I DRAG IT OUT TOO MUCH.**

 **HAPPY READING:)**

"Everything okay Shikamaru?" His mother seemed to be asking him that question a lot these days. Obviously she had good reason to but he found it irritating. She always found random times to ask him that question. Like now, he was fiddling with his father's shogi board, well it was his now. He focused on moving a couple of pieces but his mother still found it necessary to ask him. Maybe she could see the frustration on his face or maybe it was just a mother's intuition but he was still prepared to give his usual answer.

"I'm fine." He had said those two simple words so much that he had thought about tattooing it on his forehead on more than one occasion. He knew that his mother never believed him when he said those words but she still accepted it. She knew he needed his space right now and he was glad that she understood. His mother was actually becoming more... motherly. Maybe she was just trying not to push Shikamaru away since she lost her husband but she definitely wasn't as outspoken and 'pushy' like she was before.

"You're home earlier than usual. What were you doing?" She clearly knew that he didn't spend the day by the cemetery as usual. His life was definitely depressing if that was his hangout of choice.

"Went with Kurenai for her check up then went to the Hokage's office." His laziness couldn't be more evident as he answered.

"How did it go with Kurenai?" He knew that his mother would be asking Kurenai the same question when she saw the pregnant kunoichi again. Maybe she just wanted to have a conversation with her son. That would be weird though since he witnessed many afternoons where his parents would be in the same room but spend their time in silence. Both of them getting wrapped up in the books they were reading. Their relationship certainly was weird but their love for each other was second to none.

"Kurenai and the baby are doing fine. Sakura said that she should just get a little more rest than usual and continue taking her tablets and everything else." He was too lazy to explain everything else but his mother knew what he meant.

"I thought Sakura would be handling more challenging cases. She is a superstar in the medical field now. Her reputation is growing as fast as Tsunade's did." He wasn't surprised by that. Ever since Sakura acquired the strength of a hundred seal, she had been able to use techniques that she usually couldn't do. Her range of medical ninjutsu vastly increased and her techniques began rivalling Lady Tsunade's. In his stupid way, he was proud of her.

"Even superstars need a break it seems."

"You would know. You were the first superstar in your class." That was true. Everyone made a big deal of him being the only one of his friends to be promoted to chunin on his first try. It was greatly overshadowed by the attack on the village and the Third Hokage's death but all eyes were on him. 'The Nara Prodigy', 'The Lazy Genius' and many other names were given to him and he hated each and every one. No one saw him as a coward anymore which meant more troublesome work for him.  
He was glad when Neji got promoted straight to jounin after his second chunin exams. He was one of the proctors during that exams though. He guessed that they wanted him there because he was able to pass it the first time around and could point out the flaws and make them correct it. After the exams everyone finally forgot about him and focused on Neji. Getting promoted to chunin was difficult enough but getting promoted straight to jounin level was special. He was just glad to have the spotlight off him and onto Neji so that he could live his normal life.

"I'm still a chunin though. Everyone else is ranked higher than I am. Besides Naruto." Naruto was still a genin. Despite being a 'hero', Lady Tsunade and Kakashi still wanted him to pass the chunin exams which is why he is studying. He will have to take it on his own which means that he would be paired up with people he didn't necessarily know so he would have to be prepared for each situation.

"You're only a chunin by choice. They offered you and all your friends the promotion but you were the only one to turn it down." His mother was still angry at him because of that. After the war, Lady Tsunade offered all of them a promotion to jounin level. They deserved it after their performance in the war. Everyone accepted except Shikamaru. No one knew why and no one bothered asking him since he was still mourning. Choji didn't even want to ask him. He just accepted Shikamaru's decision and went on with life. It wasn't like Shikamaru was leaving the village. He just didn't want the promotion.

"I have enough work to do as it is." Shikamaru defended himself.

"What work? All you ever do is go to the cemetery and look after Kurenai."

"That's why I went to the Hokage's office this morning." Yoshino immediately looked up from her book and stared at her son. She was clearly more interested in their conversation now than Shikamaru was. He never took his attention away from the shogi board as he spoke.

"Are you going to go on missions again?"

"No. He asked me to be his assistant and advisor when he became hokage. I accepted."

"But that means that you could still be sent out on missions."

"I know but I told him that I don't think I should be going on missions yet. I'm sure he understands."

"I'm just glad you're going to be doing some work again." He could hear the happiness in his mother's voice which gave him a little joy as well but he knew that she was just glad that he wouldn't be visiting the cemetery as much anymore. She didn't think it was healthy but he found it therapeutic. Some things you just can't talk about to others. You just need to be left alone in a space you feel comfortable in. That was the cemetery for Shikamaru. A safe place where he felt comfortable enough to express his feelings. He never cried as much as he did in the cemetery. It was his own personal sanctuary where he was able to feel protected by his father and his sensei.

"You always complained that dad worked too much." He remembered all the times his mother told his father to stop working, especially if he brought his work home with him. Despite having a study in the house, she always told him that once he came home then he was a father first no matter what. His father broke that rule on more than one occasion but Shikamaru didn't mind. His mother on the other hand nearly kicked him out of the village, let alone the house but that was the nature of their relationship. It was either subtle or extreme with no in between.

"Because your father did work too much. He had too many jobs. The Jounin Commander was enough of a job on its own but your father was always needed somewhere else as well." Yet another reason why he didn't want to become a jounin.  
"Are you planning on taking over as Jounin Commander?"

"I'm still a chunin."

"That's only a stupid title. Everyone knows that you're more than qualified to be the Jounin Commander. I don't think anyone would object to it and if they do want you to become a jounin first then I'm sure Kakashi will make you a jounin on the spot." His mother's confidence in him was second to none. Unlike his father, his mother always showed her emotions and acted on it. If she wanted to say something then she wouldn't back down. His mother never ran from a challenge, she clearly didn't pass that on to Shikamaru.

"I'm not planning on becoming the Jounin Commander or any commander for that matter. Just put me behind a desk and let me work." That's all he needed right now.

"You want to become Hokage then." He could clearly hear the amusement in his mother's voice as she said it. She often tried to tease him and sorely failed but this time she hit the nail on the head. All he could do was just sigh and continue focusing on the shogi board in front of him.  
A soft knock on the door interrupted their conversation but Shikamaru didn't mind. He needed to get out of that conversation before his mother found something else to tease him about.  
"Shikamaru, go see who's at the door."

"If it was important then the person would've knocked again." He really was lazy but he knew his mother was going to make him do something that he would regret if he didn't go open the door. He didn't want to get up though so he reached a compromise. He made a few hand signs then activated his shadow stitching jutsu and used it to open the door. Not really what he had in mind when he first created the jutsu but it worked and he didn't have to get up.

"Shikamaru. How can you be so god damn lazy? If someone is at the door then you get up and go see who it is. What if..." Ino. The only girl he knew that didn't care about the situation. She was headstrong and acted on her emotions. Hell, she was the only female his mother would allow to lecture her son about anything and everything because she knew that he hated it which made his mother encourage it even more.  
He blocked Ino out. He knew that she could continue these rants for over 10 minutes if she was in the mood and she definitely seemed to be in the mood to talk today. She once lectured Shikamaru and Choji for nearly half an hour and when Asuma tried to step in then he ended up being lectured to as well. She really didn't care who you were because if she had something on her mind then she had no problem saying it. Maybe that's why she had trouble finding a boyfriend. She obsessed over Sasuke for years but she finally gave up and moved on. Most of his friends tried to avoid Ino because if you said one thing wrong to her then she would come down on you like a mountain. She was alright to have around when there was another girl present though. She didn't care about jumping down guys throats but she did think twice before doing it to a girl.  
"Are you even listening to me lazy ass?" He finally tuned back into her ranting. He glanced at the time on the wall; only 3 minutes of ranting, there had to be something bigger on her mind.

"Good afternoon Ino." His lazy greeting seemed to irritate his blonde friend even more and he enjoyed it as much as his mother enjoyed letting Ino torture him. She rolled her eyes then turned around to his mother.

"Good afternoon Mrs Yoshino." Ino politely greeted the old woman.

"Good afternoon Ino." Yoshino definitely didn't hide her amusement at the two young ninja in the room with her. Ino then turned back to Shikamaru and folded her arms across her chest.

"Are you packed yet?" He really didn't have any idea what she was referring to. Definitely friends with Sakura. Asking questions like Shikamaru knew what they were talking about. That was just... troublesome.

"Packed for what?" He continued looking at the shogi board then moved another piece.

"We're sleeping over by Sakura tonight." This was the first time he was hearing about this.

"I thought we were just hanging out."

"We are and then we will be sleeping over as well."

"You seem to be full of surprises today Shikamaru." He could tell that his mother was smiling as she said those words.

"What other surprises has he sprung today?" He knew there was no stopping his mother and Ino now. When they had a conversation then they seemed to dissect every detail about it especially if it was about Shikamaru and he knew that they were going to do it right there not caring one bit that he was in the room.

"He agreed to be the Hokage's assistant and advisor."

"Two positions at once. That's a lot of work."

"I'm just glad he is getting back to work."

"True. I would feel a little safer knowing that Shikamaru is helping Kakashi even if it is just advising Kakashi on a plan. I'm actually excited about working with him again. I've got to spread the good news."

"I'm not going on missions." Shikamaru wanted to make that point clear. He knew that once Ino started 'spreading the news' then somehow it would end up being said that he was taking over as Jounin Commander.

"Not yet." He could her the playfulness in her voice but he knew that she would get him to go on a mission with him. She always pushed him to be better for some reason. She never took 'no' for answer without having a valid reason and even then she still kept on pushing.  
"I'm going to go pack an overnight bag for you and when I come back down then we're leaving." She disappeared before Shikamaru even had time to think about protesting her decision.

"She definitely is the sister you need in your life." Yoshino laughed as she saw Shikamaru's disgruntled face.

"Why did our clans have to be so close?"

"Stop complaining. You need her as much as she needs you right now. Only you understand what she's going through even if she moved on." That was true. He didn't need to talk to her about what happened or even listen to her talk about what happened. He just needed her there. All they needed to do was be in each other's presence to get the comfort they needed.

"She's already continuing with life so she doesn't need me."

"She needs you because she didn't grieve properly. She buried her father and moved on with her life. When her grief finally comes to the surface then she is going to need you to be her rock." His mother wasn't wrong. After the funeral, Kurenai and Choji helped him get through everything. They allowed him to be anything he needed to be. There was nothing that he couldn't do that would drive them away. He shouted at them and even ended up fighting Choji at one point but they didn't disappear and that's what he needed. That's what he would do for Ino if she needed it.

"Then why do I need her?"

"You're only moving on now. She already did. You might need her help to move on." He hated when his mother was right about something but right now he was grateful that she had all the answers. He tried getting his brain working again by looking at strategies on the shogi board but it didn't seem to be going all that well. He needed his mother and that's what he got, along with the teasing.

"It's not like I can get rid of Choji or Ino so we're stuck together no matter what."

"Just be careful. You three made a huge impact during the war. Your Ino-Shika-Cho formation is more formidable than your father's was so make sure that you be careful if you're ever needed to go on a mission together." He knew his mother's concern wasn't misplaced. Even though they were in a time of peace, there were still people that were against having powerful shinobi around. There were still people who wanted to control the jinchurikis. There were still people trying to take over villagers.

"I will mom." Finally turned to his mother and smiled.

"I'm finished so we're leaving now." Ino dropped the familiar brown backpack on Shikamaru disturbing the war being played out on the shogi board. Shikamaru let out a low groan but lazily stood up. He neatly put the shogi board and pieces away then positioned the back nicely on his shoulders.

"Have fun tonight." Yoshino told the two ninja.

"You can bet we will." Ino's enthusiasm could only mean one thing for him; trouble.

"See you tomorrow mom." Shikamaru gave his mother a wave then followed Ino out of the house. The two walked in silence out of the compound then he allowed Ino to take the lead as he lazily put his hands in his pockets and looked up at the sky again. More clouds were around than earlier that morning but it was still a perfect day. Not too hot and not too cold. The peaceful wind provided perfect relief if the temperature seemed to be rising. Everything worked in perfect unison.

"Are you really going to go back to being a ninja?" The question was sudden and striking. Ino seemed to be staring at the ground as she asked the question which really was unusual for her. She always had confidence no matter what she did. She believed that she could do most things but to see her looking at the ground made Shikamaru remember the times when they were very young, even before she met Sakura. He stood up for her when the other kids made fun of her for some stupid reason. He knew that his dad and Ino's dad were friends but he didn't necessarily want to be friends with Ino yet he found himself standing up for her. He did the same for Choji. That's how the three of them began their friendship.

"I'm going to be behind a desk doing paperwork and creating strategies to help ninjas on certain missions. I'm not really going to be a ninja. Not yet anyway."

"So you are planning to go back to the way things were?" He could tell that there was an underlying question that Ino was struggling to ask him but he couldn't seem to figure out what it was.

"I put my life on hold after the war. I needed time to find myself again and accept the way things are now because they can't go back to how they were before. Now I am continuing with my new life. I am never going to be the same no matter what I do so I am going to take things slow." He hoped that he was answering her questions because he wanted to help her just like his mother has said.

"Do you think you will be able to go on missions again?" There was the real question. She was doubting herself. This wasn't about him but rather her insecurities.

"Kurenai said something to be me earlier and now I am going to tell you the same thing. Asuma and your father taught you everything they knew. They knew that one day they might not make it back. They weren't preparing you to take their place though, they were preparing you to be better than them. They died believing in us. They knew that we were the future and that only we can make it better. If Naruto can create this peaceful world we're living in right now then it's our duty to keep it as peaceful so that the children of tomorrow can know the happiness we had, so that Kurenai's child can see that her father raised three great ninja. We might not be able to go on missions today but we will prepare ourselves for the missions of tomorrow."

"Damn Shikamaru. I wasn't expecting that from you." He looked at Ino and saw a tear strolling down her cheek. He hated when his mother was right. He knew that Ino would never allow him to hug her right now or even do something remotely sympathetic. She was too proud to admit it but he preferred it like that. It was stupid but he knew that she was strong enough to overcome it.

"Blame Kurenai. She's the one who gave me a speech this morning. She's the one that told Sakura that I was going to come tonight."

"How is Kurenai doing?" There's the Ino he liked. Caring and cheerful. She wiped away the tear and lifted herself back up again.

"She's doing great. Expected to give birth in four weeks."

"Four weeks? We have to do something for her." This is the Ino he didn't like. Somehow he was going to end up doing something he didn't want to do and she would force him to do it with a smile on his face.

"We don't have to do anything. When she gives birth then she is going to be tired and the baby will be tired as well. Get her a gift instead." He was already bored with this conversation and the way it was most likely heading.

"That's a good idea. Maybe get her something sentimental. What did you do with Asuma's chakra blades?"

"I still have it. I'm planning on teaching her daughter how to use them when she graduates from the academy." He didn't plan on becoming Kurenai's daughter's sensei but he did want to teach her a few things that Asuma taught him.

"I guess we can't use that then. What else is sentimental?" Ino was determined to get a meaningful gift for Kurenai no matter what.

"I think she has everything of Asuma's that we don't. It's not like he gave us anything anyway."

"You have his lighter and the chakra blades."

"He didn't really give it to me. I just held onto it."

"Then we can give back the lighter. That has sentimental value to it." The lighter did have sentimental value but it had sentimental value to Shikamaru more. He used it to make his final move against Hidan. He threw it over the pit where he buried Hidan but the explosion pushed it back out and almost hit him in the head. He thought of it as Asuma's way of telling him to keep the will of fire burning and not throw it away. In a way, that was his will of fire. He always kept it on him and opened it so that he could stare into the flame and remember all the good times he had with his sensei and his teammates.

"The lighter is valuable to me." Ino turned to Shikamaru but she could see that he was telling the truth. Shikamaru hardly ever spoke to her about his feelings but she knew when he was being serious.

"Then what can we get her?" He could tell that Ino was defeated. Getting a gift for Kurenai and her child wasn't a bad idea. He only suggested it because he didn't want Ino to throw a party or anything but the more he thought about it, the more the idea appealed to him.

"Asuma was part of the Sarutobi clan. Kurenai's daughter will be Konohamaru's cousin. We can ask him if there is anything that we can give Kurenai as symbol of the Sarutobi clan."

"That's a great idea Shikamaru. I didn't think about that." She hardly did. Ino had this way of thinking that irritated Shikamaru. If she thought about something then she didn't think about the next step. She lived in the moment and she only thought about what to do that will get her the best results in that moment. She hardly ever thought about the other factors. Maybe that's why she, Choji and Shikamaru were a great team. Shikamaru always thought ahead while Ino thought about the present. Choji would surprisingly be the voice of reason and help Shikamaru figure out how to continue. It always got on Ino's nerves when the two of them would agree with each other and not with her especially on missions but they always completed their missions, not without any injuries though which were mainly because Ino was too stubborn to follow the plan exactly like it needed to be.

"There's no rush though. You have four whole weeks. Konohamaru is like Naruto though so it's better if you go with him to his house to look for something because he will forget."

"All guys are like that." This was definitely Ino's way of starting a fight.

"Troublesome woman." And this was always his reply. He learnt his lesson not to get into a verbal confrontation with Ino because she will always come out victorious. The only person who could ever match her was Sakura. The two of them could argue whole day about anything and everything. He was pretty sure that they could scare the enemy away with the way their arguments would heat up.  
They finally reached Sakura's apartment. It didn't look like much from the outside but he knew just how comfortable it was inside. It was like the perfect bachelor pad for him. Open plan, wooden flooring, one huge bedroom, a bathroom, a kitchen connecting to the lounge, a fireplace; simple but perfect. Ino went to the front door and walked into the building. He knew that Sakura was her best friend but Ino was like his sister yet she still knocked on the door every time she went to his house.

"Thank god you're back. I need to go buy some groceries." Sakura was clearly way too busy and Shikamaru could see his chubby friend making food in the kitchen. Choji finally learnt how to make food instead of just devouring it but he still enjoyed the eating part better.

"What do you need me to do then?" Ino asked them. Shikamaru put his bag down in the lounge as he saw Ino enter the kitchen and start helping them.

"Shikamaru, wanna join us?" Choji always wanted to lend a helping hand wherever he could but that's where he and Shikamaru differed. Shikamaru's lazy nature always led him to stay away from any work while Choji's caring nature always led him towards work. The only time Shikamaru could get Choji away from working is if he gave Choji something to snack on.

"Shikamaru is coming with me so you two continue making the food. Don't destroy my kitchen or else I will destroy you." Sakura's threat had no effect on Ino but it definitely made Choji scared.  
"Come Shikamaru. We have work to do."

"Work and Shikamaru do not belong in the same sentence." Ino stated. Shikamaru couldn't help but join in their laughter. He knew that Ino was trying to rile Sakura up already since she was stressed enough but he didn't want to be in the middle of a fight so he lazily stood up and went towards Sakura.

"You might want to take off your apron." Shikamaru told her as he pointed to the red apron she wore. She had an embarrassed look on her face for a moment but it was instantly replaced with a focused one.

"Okay, let's go." She raced out of the door but Shikamaru kept to his usual pace and followed behind her. She was always in a rush these days. She had good reason to be rushing in the hospital since a few seconds could mean the difference between life or death there but she didn't need to rush while she was in the village. There was no need to. He noticed her slowing down until she stopped at an intersection of two streets.

"What are you thinking about?" He noticed her hand under her chin and her furrowed brow. That was usually her normal thinking face and he found it amusing. He knew that he looked even sillier especially when he crouched and put his fingertips together while he planned but seeing her do her way of thinking right now was... cute.

"That way." She wanted to take off down the street to the right but he immediately grabbed her soft hand before she was out of reach.

"Do you have to run everywhere?" His annoyance clearly showing.

"We have things to do before tonight so we have to do this quickly."

"Take your time. You should know that rushing doesn't lead to anything good."

"Maybe you should get some energy into those lazy bones of yours every once in a while." She clearly wasn't going to back down any time soon and he didn't have the energy to argue with her right now.

"Let's go then but slow down. No one is chasing you. People should be running away from you actually." They began walking down the dusty road again but side by side this time.

"Was that last part really necessary?"

"No but it's keeping you from running ahead."

"Your hand is actually." He looked down at his hand and forgot that he was still holding Sakura's hand.

"Sorry about that." He immediately put his hand back in his pocket and looked up at the sky above them. He could feel Sakura's eyes on him but he dared not to change his expression. He didn't want to show her how embarrassed he felt. He didn't want to show her anything really. She had this annoying way of getting people to talk even when they didn't want to. He wasn't going to fall for it this time.  
"Where are we headed first?"


	3. Chapter 3

**HEY GUYS AND GIRLS. I KNOW I DON'T UPDATE A LOT BUT I TRY MY BEST WHEN I HAVE TIME. I THINK I AM GOING TO CONTINUE WITH THIS STORY FOR A WHILE. I AM ENJOYING THE IN-DEPTH LOOK INTO SHIKAMARU'S LIFE AFTER THE WAR. I HOPE YOU GUYS AND GIRLS ARE TOO.**

 **HAPPY READING:)**

"Damn, it's been too long since I've had fun like this." Kiba was right. Everyone looked like they were enjoying themselves. Mostly because they were drinking and probably a little drunk. Even Hinata was drinking surprisingly.  
They started the night with a less than peaceful dinner; it didn't take long for Naruto, Kiba and Lee to start arguing then Sakura and Ino began adding fuel to the fire. Choji managed to settle everyone down though. If it was one thing about Choji, it was that no one ever disturbs his meal. He stopped all their arguing and made sure that everyone ate their dinner. Shikamaru was a little scared of his best friend at that moment but he knew that Choji just wanted to eat the meal he helped prepare. Everyone ate as much as they could and Choji tried to eat the rest. He couldn't finish it during dinner so he was still eating.  
After dinner they decided to play games, girls vs boys style but the girls were only four and the guys were seven so the girls decided that they would take Sai on their side. Each round the guys had to choose one member that couldn't participate so that it could be even. The one that wasn't participating helped Kiba pour drinks for everyone. It seemed like there was a never-ending supply of alcohol the way Kiba and Naruto were drinking it. The first game was chosen by the girls; charades. The guys decided that Naruto shouldn't participate because he was not really the smartest tool in the shed. He didn't mind since it gave him more time to drink. The girls easily won the charades with their flawless depictions of their sensei's and other ninja in the five nations. Hinata's depiction of the Mizukage seemed to get everyone's attention, especially the guys. The guys however weren't as flawless. Saying they suck would be an understatement but they did get everyone laughing.  
The next game was chosen by the guys; truth or dare. Lee was voted out because they didn't need the drunken fist to show himself right now. The guys slyly won that with their perverseness but not before the girls made them drink nearly a whole bottle between them. The girls dared Naruto and Kiba kiss as well but they did it. The rule was that if you don't admit the truth or do the dare then you lose. Kiba eliminated Ino when he dared her to flash her boobs to the guys. Shikamaru cleverly eliminated Hinata when he asked her about who she thought about when she masturbated. Tenten copied Shikamaru and eliminated Shino. Naruto eliminated Tenten when she refused give him a lap dance. Choji eliminated Sai when he dared Sai to wear one of Sakura's underwear on his head for the rest of the game. Sakura gave up after that.  
The girls then chose to play musical chairs with the guys. Shino sat out because he wasn't exactly the fastest which surprised everyone since they expected Choji to sit out. Naruto, Kiba and Lee were the first out since they were too drunk to even sit on the chairs properly and running around in a circle made them dizzy. Shikamaru and Choji couldn't keep up with the girls and lost.  
Now they found themselves playing strip poker thanks to Kiba. The rule was that the highest hand chose a member from the other team to remove an item of clothing. The lowest hand had to remove an item of clothing regardless if a member of your team won that round. If you were down to your underwear and were willing to get naked then you're still in. If not, you're out. If you lost when you were naked then you were automatically out. The guys chose Choji to sit out since he was too honest which would work against them in a game of poker. The guys easily got Ino out of the game then Tenten. Lee followed then Sai, Kiba and Shino. It ended up with Shikamaru and Naruto vs Sakura and Hinata.

"Definitely. I really like this game." Lee said as he eyed Sakura who was sitting next to Shikamaru in their circle. Shikamaru still had his vest on with his pants. Sakura was down to her pink bra and pyjama pants. Naruto was only in his blue boxers and Hinata was only in her violet coloured, lacy underwear.

"Come on Choji. Deal another hand already." Naruto was eager to get the guys level with the girls. Shikamaru on the other hand didn't care one bit. He was just going along with games. He was happy that he got to see everyone though.  
Choji dealt the four of them five cards each. Shikamaru looked at his hand; ace of diamonds, three of hearts, jack of spades, ten of hearts, four of hearts. He didn't know what to do. There were too many possibilities and he was too drunk to care. Luck was never on his side and he just wanted to continue the game so he chose to hand Choji back the ace and jack. He got back the king of hearts and the six of hearts. A flush, what were the odds. He waited until everyone was ready to reveal so he took a sip of his strong drink.

"This game is way too intense right now." Ino was right. The tension was palpable but with good reason. Sakura and Naruto both wanted to win no matter what. He didn't bother trying to read both of their faces because he didn't really care. They were basically competing against each other leaving Hinata and Shikamaru just there for show.

"Okay everyone, reveal." Choji told them. Shikamaru; flush. Sakura; pair. Naruto; straight. Hinata; three of a kind.

"Yes, we win Shikamaru." Naruto happily said as he high-fived the lazy ninja.

"What's the plan guys? Who do we eliminate; Sakura or Hinata?" Sakura was already removing her pants revealing her matching underwear. Kiba asked the question and looked like he was in deep thought. Definitely another competitive guy.

"Hinata hasn't lost a round." Shino pointed out. That was true. Hinata came close to losing around but never did. She only won one round though.

"Sakura won most of the girl's rounds though." Lee was definitely observing Sakura whole night already but Shikamaru could see that she didn't want anything to do with the taijutsu master. He felt a little sorry for Lee but he did applaud his persistence.

"I won by luck now. Who's to say that Sakura hasn't as well?" Shikamaru made them think, well think as much as their drunken brains could.

"Hinata then. All it takes is for Naruto or Shikamaru to win one more round. Let's see how much luck Sakura really has?" Naruto voting Hinata out was either extremely evil or extremely considerate seeing as they were dating. Maybe he didn't want the guys staring her while she was only in her underwear. Shikamaru had to admit, his eyes wandered over her more than once.

"We want Hinata out then." Shikamaru confirmed. Naruto gave Hinata a smile then causing her to blush before she went over to her bag and quickly put her pyjamas on. Looks like Naruto did care about Hinata. It wasn't that cold even though it was nearly midnight. Maybe it was because Shikamaru still had most of his clothes on or because the fireplace was devouring wood in return for heating up the apartment.

"Yes. The guys are definitely going to win now." Lee celebrated with Kiba draining their glasses.

"Shut up you two. You guys were eliminated already." Ino definitely was angry. She hated losing. Tenten didn't really care anymore. She was drinking and talking to Sai who looked to be confused most of the time.

"Next round Choji." Naruto was clearly in the mood to win and to win as soon as possible.

"And next round Kiba. We need more drinks." Lee was clearly in the mood to drink.

"Shouldn't you slow down there Lee?" Tenten asked him. She knew first hand how Lee behaved when he was drunk. She knew how unstoppable he could be but he seemed to get it under control these days. His tolerance for alcohol rose so he felt comfortable consuming more.

"The night is still young." Lee wasn't stopping any time soon.  
Choji dealt the last three their cards then waited while Kiba began topping up everyone's drinks. Shikamaru looked at his hand; pair of jacks, pair of sevens and two of diamonds. He was pretty confident in his hand.

"Keeping your hand, you must be confident Shikamaru." Sakura definitely was trying to get under his skin. His eyes turned toward the pink haired kunoichi sitting next to him in her underwear. He felt a little uncomfortable trying not to look at her beautiful body and instead look at her angelic face that had was donned with a devious smile. She had a perfect body in his eyes and all he wanted to do was touch her but he needed to get that out of his head. That was probably the alcohol talking anyway.

"I can't be eliminated this round. I would think that would allow me to be a little reckless." He took a sip of his drink then lined his eyes up with Sakura. He knew that she wasn't going to back down and he knew that she definitely had a reason why she was challenging him rather than Naruto. The only conclusion that Shikamaru could get was that she was confident that she was going to win.

"Neither am I." Sakura revealed her hand; four queens.

"Are you serious?" Naruto's frustration got the best of him. Shikamaru looked at his hand; all of the threes.

"Looks like I lost." Shikamaru revealed his hand. He took his glass then drained it before he took off his vest. The coldness immediately wrapped around his bare muscled torso. He wasn't as muscular as Lee, Naruto or Kiba but he did have a defined body that most girls liked. He put his vest behind him and noticed Sakura's eyes glance over his new exposed skin more than once before returning to the game.

"You're out Naruto." Ino told him.

"Isn't Sakura supposed to decide that?" Kiba was trying to salvage some male pride. Shikamaru had to stop himself from chuckling at his effort which turned out to be all for naught.

"We girls are on the same page so we know what we want." Tenten definitely was an advocate for the girls.

"And we want Naruto out." Sakura confirmed.

"Fine but we're still going to win. Shikamaru is smarter than you." Naruto ranted. His anger was quickly washed away when he saw Hinata flash him a smile then blushed when she got caught.

"Like Shikamaru said himself, this game is about luck." Sakura looked at Shikamaru as she said those last words. She was clearly challenging him. He couldn't get out of the challenge since he was the last member of the guy's team. Sakura was coming on very strong with her challenge and there was no way he could match her so he decided to go a different route.

"Looking at how my life has been lately, I clearly don't have any luck." He refused to make any contact with anyone as he reached for his glass that had been refilled by Kiba. He took a sip then finally looked up and saw that his change of approach worked too well. Playing the sympathy card definitely had an effect on everyone as a sudden flash of sadness disrupted everyone's night.

"We won't know until we see your hand. Choji, deal the cards." Ino definitely wanted to change the subject and he couldn't blame her. This night was supposed to be fun. This was the first time since the ceremony of inducting Ino, Shikamaru and Choji as the heads of their clans that they were all able to hangout like this and he wanted them to have fun.

"Come on Shikamaru. We believe in you." Naruto's enthusiasm was second to none, well maybe to Lee's but Lee was too busy drinking and ogling at Sakura to add anything. Shikamaru looked at Sakura and saw the empathy on her face. She definitely was hit with a wave of sadness but he didn't see why she would be so affected by it. She worked in a hospital where people die everyday. She was a brilliant medic ninja but she was still only human and couldn't save everyone. She was in a war where people were dying all around her on the battlefield so she should've been used to it by now.  
Could it be that she and Neji had a deeper relationship than the one they showed? He knew that Neji did practice some hand-to-hand fighting techniques with her but other than that he never heard about Sakura and Neji spending other time together. He always heard about Neji and Tenten spending more time together than any other male and female in the room. Tenten was definitely in love with him and Neji wasn't oblivious to it. He admitted to the guys that he liked Tenten a few months before the war and Shikamaru knew that Neji wasn't that much of an asshole to say that then begin spending time with other girls.  
Could Sakura be feeling sad because of Shikamaru? They were friends and good friends at that but he didn't expect her to be feeling his pain unless there was something that he was missing.

"Stop zoning out Shikamaru. Get your head in the game." Kiba snapped Shikamaru out of his thoughts. Shikamaru quickly took a sip of his drink then looked at his cards. He could see that Sakura was a little out of it now which made him feel a little bad. He didn't want to ruin anyone's night, especially not hers since she was hosting them. He saw that he had a pair of tens, a three, a six and a nine. He decided to throw the game. It was the least he could do to get the night back to its festive mood. He handed Choji his tens then received a five and a jack back.

"Okay, let's see who won. Reveal." Shikamaru immediately showed everyone his cards at Choji's instruction.

"Only a high card Shikamaru. Fuck, we lose guys." Naruto was definitely disappointed. He didn't like losing at anything. Shikamaru on the other hand didn't care about winning or losing anymore. He just cared about getting the job done.

"It's not over yet." Kiba stated. True. There was a highly unlikely possibility that Sakura couldn't beat Shikamaru's high card. It would probably take a miracle for the guy's to win right now.

"You know that you guys lose anyway so Sakura doesn't need to show her hand." Ino's confidence wasn't misplaced. Sakura's win was almost guaranteed.

"We still need to see her cards." Choji told her.

"Fine. Sakura, show them what you have." Sakura immediately revealed her hand at Ino's instruction. To everyone's surprise, especially to Shikamaru's, Sakura lost. She only had a nine as her high card compared to Shikamaru's jack. He immediately looked up at Sakura and saw her smiling and he couldn't help but smile. They both had the same idea but Sakura's worked out better.

"We won." Naruto started the guys celebrations. Shikamaru ignored the celebrations as he got lost looking into the sea of green in Sakura's eyes. She was an unexplainable mystery to him. He didn't understand her at all but at the same time he understood everything about her. An incomplete finish, a chaotic peace, a painful joy; she was just... troublesome. Sakura immediately stood up and put on her pyjamas while Shikamaru put on his vest again since he was hot enough with it on.

"The score is even then, 2-2." Sai pointed out.

"The guys are going to win." Naruto was overfilled with joy it seemed. Most of the guys were. You couldn't really tell if Shino was happy or not. Hell, Shikamaru couldn't tell what Shino was feeling. Behind his glasses and the blank expression on his face, he wondered if Shino ever revealed his emotions.

"We need one more game for a tie breaker." Tenten was right. If they were going to settle this then one more game would have to do. It will have to do if Naruto and Kiba were going to shut up about this. Shikamaru knew one way to get Naruto to shut up though and the solution was sitting just a few feet away from him in the form of the Hyuga heiress. He didn't know how to keep Kiba quiet though. Maybe more alcohol?

"Arm wrestling." Lee suggested. That wasn't a bad idea. The guys would have the slight advantage but never underestimate the girls. They were crafty to say the least. He saw the girls looking at each other and then Ino quickly called a meeting dragging Sai into the discussion as well. The guys just looked at each other with a bewildered look on their faces. Whatever they were planning was going definitely going to be trouble for the guys.

"Okay,we agree to the arm wrestling but there are going to be a few rules." Ino announced. "Firstly, ninjutsu is allowed. Secondly, there is a one minute time limit. If no one wins in one minute then it will be a draw. Lastly, no one is allowed to use ninjutsu if they are not participating. Are you guys okay with that?" The guys looked at each other and nodded in agreement.

"We agree." Kiba stated.

"Who's going to sit out?"

"I will." Shino offered.

"Are you sure? You sat out once already." Kiba reminded him.

"I don't have as much arm strength as you guys. It's better for the team." Shino explained. Shikamaru didn't really agree with his reason. Shikamaru probably didn't have as much arm strength as well. He was pretty sure that Shino would win Shikamaru in a fist fight.

"Okay. Let's get this started." Naruto was definitely eager. He probably thought the guys would win this easily but the girls were nothing if not devious. Sakura instructed them to move the small wooden table in the middle of them as she got up and went to the kitchen and came back with a shopping bag but Shikamaru couldn't see what was inside it.

"So who is your first competitor?" Kiba asked the girls. They looked at each other then came to a non-verbal conclusion.

"Sai."

"We choose Choji then." Sai and Choji then settled themselves on opposite sides of the table. Choji probably had the advantage if he was going to use his partial expansion jutsu.

"Ready... go." Kiba started them off using the clock on the wall as the time. It was evenly matched from the beginning with Sai putting up an impressive challenge. An opening of a packet immediately broke the silence in the room. Everyone turned their attention to Ino who opened a packet of Choji's favourite chips.

"We have less than a minute to finish this packet of chips so that Choji doesn't get any girls." Ino loudly announced. Choji looked at them then saw Ino take out a chip and wave it in the air putting Choji in a trance allowing Sai to win. This was clearly the girl's plan and he was sure that they had something planned for all the guys.

"Yay, go Sai." Tenten cheered while Choji immediately went to Ino and stole the packet of chips.

"Seriously Choji? You let him win for a packet of chips." Kiba and Naruto were visibly angry. Lee just shook his head in disapproval while Shikamaru and Shino just didn't care.

"Looks like we are leading." Sakura stated.

"I'm next. Which one of you girls do I get to defeat?" Kiba was evidently angry and wanted revenge.

"I am." Ino stepped up then went to the table and got into position. She quickly went closer to Kiba and whispered something in his ear before getting in position. Shikamaru immediately knew that the girls were going to win this one as well.

"Ready... go." Tenten told them and Ino easily pushed Kiba's arm over then kissed his cheek.

"Why did you let her win dog breath?" Naruto asked Kiba who just turned around with a goofy smile on his face.

"You girls are playing dirty." Lee told them.

"We aren't breaking any rules." Tenten innocently stated but that didn't fool them for a second. "Which of you guys are going to go up against me?"

"I will. I'm going to win this one." Naruto went to the table then got into position opposite Tenten.

"Ready... go." Sakura instructed them but Shikamaru could see Ino urging Hinata to do something.

"G-good..."

"Ichiraku is just down the street Naruto so win this and we will treat you to the best ramen." Shikamaru interrupted Hinata immediately drowning out her voice before she could say anything to distract Naruto.

"You got it Shikamaru." Naruto quickly overpowered Tenten and got the guy's first win.

"Well done Naruto. That was the real power of youth." Lee gave him a thumbs up and smiled.

"That was sneaky Shikamaru." Sakura definitely caught on to what he did.

"Two can play your game." Shikamaru wasn't going to back down from this challenge.

"Prove it." Ino told him as she pointed to the wooden table. Shikamaru took a sip of the drink he was nursing since the poker game then made his way to the table. He saw Hinata activate her byakugan then get in position opposite Shikamaru.

"Hey Hinata." Shikamaru greeted her trying to buy time to come up with a plan to win.

"Hey Shikamaru." Hinata was sweet and kind but he wasn't going to fall for that. He didn't think that Ino or Sakura would come up with something extravagant to defeat him with so Hinata's byakugan was probably the weapon they would use.

"Are they bullying you into using your byakugan?" He asked her while he activated his shadow strangle jutsu and let his shadow rest under the table. He kept the jutsu activated with his left hand while his right hand held onto Hinata's.

"We're not bullying her into anything." Ino answered mhim.

"Ready... go." Shikamaru immediately let his shadows go onto Hinata's body then stop by her bountiful breasts and groped them before Hinata could use her byakugan on any of his chakra points. He felt Hinata's body startle and took the opportunity to win.

"Sorry about that Hinata but like I said, two can play this game." Shikamaru triumphantly moved away with a smile on his face while Hinata covered her chest and moved next to Tenten who hugged Hinata.

"Yes. It's 2-2 and my turn." Lee happily announced. Shikamaru immediately went to Lee and went to his ear to whisper instructions to him before he went up against Sakura.

"Lee, I... I like you." Sakura innocently told him while they got into position but Lee's expression was stone cold.

"Ready... go." Tenten started them off. Lee quickly matched Sakura's pure strength. Shikamaru could see the determination on both their faces while they battled.

"Come on Lee, show her the real power of youth." Naruto urged him on. Shikamaru looked at the time and saw that there was twenty seconds left. They were so entranced in their battle that it looked like they were going to continue for the rest of the night.

"How is he keeping up with you forehead?" Ino was just as surprised as Shikamaru was. He knew that Lee was strong since he couldn't rely on ninjutsu but he also knew that Sakura could break a mountain if she wanted to.

"Shut up pig. I'm trying to concentrate." Sakura didn't have time to come up with a detailed plan. If she had a trick up her sleeve then now was the time to use it.

"5...4...3...2...1... time." They called it. Lee and Sakura immediately relaxed and let go of each other.

"Well done Lee." Shikamaru congratulated him.

"Thanks Shikamaru." Lee happily said as Ino made a few hand signs snapping Kiba back to reality.

"What happened?" Kiba quickly asked as he looked around. Naruto and Kiba immediately began their arguing while Shikamaru finished his drink then stood up.

"Shikamaru, can you come help me please?" Sakura asked him as she stood up as well.

"Sure." Shikamaru replied. He followed her to the hallway then she opened the closet.

"Why did you throw the poker game earlier?" She asked him while she took out blankets.

"Why did you?" She knew that he caught her as well.

"I guess I felt sorry for you."

"That was my fault for turning the mood sour."

"Is that why you threw the game? Because you wanted the mood to be happy again?"

"It would've worked if you didn't do the exact same."

"I didn't do the same. I did it better." Her triumphant smile was unmistakeable.

"Tch... troublesome woman." He replied while she continued handing him blankets. He saw that there weren't enough blankets for everyone when she finished taking all of them out.  
"There aren't enough." He informed her.

"I know. We will just have to share. We can share one if need be." He had to admit, the thought of him and Sakura under one blanket did excite him a little. Maybe he was just thinking that because of the alcohol.

"No need. I won't be sleeping anyway."

"Yes you will. You need it." she clearly had her mind made up as she made her way to her bedroom. He knew once she was like this that it would be difficult to change her mind.

"You can't control me you know."

"I know I can't control you but I know you need sleep as well. I am not going to have you working with Kakashi on missions while you're not fully rested. I have the power to take you off any duty you have as a ninja so don't test me Shikamaru."

"It's not like I am going to be out in the field."

"You're going to be at the headquarters with Kakashi which is more important. If you end up giving the wrong instructions or information then you put other ninja in harms way. You put your friends in danger. You put me in danger."

"I would never do that." He was serious when he said it but he could see that Sakura was serious about her concern as well. He knew that he needed the rest as well but he tried falling asleep before and nothing worked. One more time couldn't hurt.

"I know you won't but I would feel better knowing that you're rested." she put the blanket from her bed onto the pile already in his hands then made their way back to the lounge.  
Everyone began helping to rearrange the lounge so that they could put the blow up beds and Sakura's mattress into the lounge. Once that was all done, they arranged for where everyone was going to sleep and who would be sharing a blanket with each other. Their was a lot of arguing and nearly a couple of fights breaking out but everyone came to a conclusion. Choji and Shino decided that they were going to sleep on the couches. Ino convinced Sai to share a blanket with her much to Kiba's disappointment while Lee was heartbroken when Sakura announced that she and Shikamaru would share a blanket. Hinata and Naruto were forced into sharing a blanket since none of them wanted to admit that they wanted to. Tenten decided to take the small blanket for herself leaving Lee and Kiba to share one.  
They continued speaking for over an hour about how their lives have changed and the new experiences they lived through and he was glad to hear that everyone was happy. They deserved to be especially after everything they overcame. The fire died down and so did their conversations. Everyone slowly fell asleep but Shikamaru. He and Sakura were lying on her mattress closest to the fireplace so Shikamaru decided to sleep only in his boxers since it was hot enough. Sakura was sleeping peacefully next to him. They shared a pillow so her head rested only centimetres away from his. He could hear that everyone was sleeping or at least dozing off. He could definitely hear Choji, Lee and Kiba's snoring and he thought he could make out Naruto's murmurs as he spoke in his sleep. Definitely not the most peaceful environment to fall asleep in but not the worst. He looked over at Sakura again and saw how gentle she looked with her face so relaxed. She was beautiful, no doubt about that.

"I can feel you staring at me. Go sleep." Sakura tiredly told him as she slowly opened her eyes to the lazy ninja beside her.

"I told you that I couldn't sleep."

"At least try."

"With all these noises around us?"

"No one told them to drink themselves into a coma."

"You are the one who bought so much alcohol."

"They would've brought their own if I didn't anyway."

"True." Shikamaru agreed as the two ninja looked at each other and smiled.

"What did you whisper to Lee before we had our arm wrestle?"

"I just told him to not listen to you and pretend like you're the enemy that he needed to defeat in order to save the love of his life which also happens to be you."

"Why can't he just get that I don't want to be with him?"

"He thinks he's in love with you. I'm pretty sure that half the ninja throughout the five nations are as well."

"And what about you? Are you in love with me as well?" How can she be half asleep and still be so challenging? Shikamaru couldn't understand her. Was it just in her nature to be so troublesome? Or was it because she liked getting Shikamaru so caught up in his thoughts that he couldn't think properly.

"You're beautiful but don't think so much of yourself." That was the only answer he could come up with that didn't make it sound like he was just another ninja that was in love with her. He didn't know what he felt for her though. It was stupid and irrational but he couldn't figure it out. There was something about her that just puzzled him.

"I don't need to. You just said that half the ninja are in love with me so that speaks for itself." Still as quick as ever. How did Ino keep up with her?

"Looks like you don't need me to be one of them. You have over enough choices to choose from." He hated himself for telling her that. He wanted to take it back the moment he said it but it was too late.

"True. I don't want any of them though. A relationship is just too... troublesome." She said as she giggled.

"I couldn't agree more." He replied with a smile of his own. Suddenly she moved closer to him under the blankets then neared her head towards him and placed a sweet but short kiss on his lips. If there was a word to describe everything he felt at that moment then he needed to find it. It was like an explosion of happiness then a blissful peace all in the middle of a heated war that was still raging on.

"Now go sleep before I knock your lights out." Sakura threatened him as she turned around and grabbed his arms pulling them around her. He replied by positioning his body perfectly against hers so that they could lie comfortably. Her sweet fragrance filled him as her body radiated next to his. His hand held hers perfectly as a calmness washed over his body like it never has before. He decided to close his eyes and try to fall asleep one more time. His mind kept replaying the moment they had over and over again trying to make sense of it all but it was indescribable. She was indescribable. Maybe she was the answer. Maybe she was what he needed.


	4. Chapter 4

**HEY GUYS AND GIRLS. SORRY ABOUT THE DELAY. I AM KIND OF BUSY. I MANAGED TO GET THIS CHAPTER AT LEAST. THANKS FOR ALL THE SUPPORT GUYS AND GIRLS. IT MEANS A LOT TO ME. THE FIRST THREE CHAPTERS WERE JUST A TEST RUN BUT NOW I WANT TO CONTINUE. I'M SORRY ABOUT THE MISTAKES AND THINGS LIKE THAT AS WELL. HOPEFULLY YOU LIKE THIS CHAPTER.**

 **HAPPY READING:)**

Sweet. That's the only thing Shikamaru could smell when he woke up. A sweet, warm, comforting smell. Definitely wasn't his room but he was on a bed somewhere. The glare of the sun wasn't as bright as he expected it to be. That was a great comfort to his throbbing head. Hungover and possibly sick. He definitely shouldn't have drunk so much the night before.

"I thought you were going to sleep whole day." Her voice came out of nowhere. He didn't even feel her presence near him. Either she was just that good of a ninja or he was still a little too tired. He turned his head then looked at the young kunoichi lying next to him on the bed. She looked rested. Her flawless skin glowed next to him but he could see the tiny lines on her forehead and the darker skin under her eyes but she was still beautiful.

"I've done it before." He wasn't lying. While he was a genin he used to sleep as much as he could. He didn't need a reason to but he didn't care either.

"I really wouldn't put it past you." Her smile was playful as it danced on her lips. She moved a lock of her pink hair behind her ear. That movement slowly captured his attention before he came to his senses again.  
"How are you feeling?" He could tell that she was being serious now and he liked it. No matter how strong she was, this soft and caring part of her seemed to conquer him more than any other side of her ever could.

"I'm okay."

"I'm a doctor and a damn good one at that. Don't lie to me. How are you feeling?" There was the scary Sakura coming out. For some reason he didn't find it all that scary though. He found it more amusing. Maybe it was because he grew up with her so it didn't have as much effect on him as it had on other ninja.

"I have a bit of a headache. Probably a hangover but other than that I am okay." He wasn't lying. He just wasn't telling her the full truth. Like the fact that his body ached right now or that he had a fever. She could probably still tell that he was lying though.

"You'll stay here then."

"Not going to happen."

"Do you seriously want to fight me right now?" She was definitely getting ready for a fight that Shikamaru wish he never picked but he didn't want to burden her with anything. She already hosted them last night so he didn't want to continue being a nuisance.

"You know I don't fight females." Everyone knew that about him yet he fought two females during the chunin exams and ended up fighting another female during his first mission as a chunin. He had his morals but the world clearly didn't care and neither did Sakura right now.

"Stop being so sexist. Females can easily beat the crap out of guys. Kaguya nearly conquered the world."

"She was defeated by you and four other males though."

"Are you really that sexist?"

"You know, I never ever said that females can't defeat males. I never even said that females are weaker than males. Why does everyone think I am sexist?"

"Because of your attitude towards females in a fight."

"That's just my morals and I always end up fighting them anyway."

"That's because it's your duty as a ninja. Why don't you want to fight females though?"

"I don't know. I guess you're all just too troublesome." She immediately rolled her eyes at that. She heard him say that line over and over again. You couldn't really think of Shikamaru without having that word rolling over and over in your head.

"You just haven't found the right female. One that will change your view on all females."

"I doubt that will ever happen."

"Not with the female that you are looking for. What is it that you always said when you were younger? You want a girl that's not too pretty or ugly but an average looking one or something like that. Or did you just want an average girl that wasn't a ninja? You didn't really elaborate." He knew she was trying to get under his skin and it was working just like she knew it would.

"What about you? The only guy you ever dreamed about was Sasuke. Not really exploring your other options now are we?" He got her there. Sasuke was always who she thought about when it came to guys.

"I wasn't the hypocrite though. Saying you want an average girl then dating the Temari who's father was the Kazekage and who's brother is the Kazekage. She is anything but average." Temari and Shikamaru's relationship was complicated to say the least. No one really knew what happened with their relationship (or in their relationship for that matter) and he wanted to keep it that way. All he ever said was that she broke up with him which was the truth.

"If you are trying to get information about my relationship with Temari out of me then you have a better chance of getting me to become a doctor."

"Why don't you ever talk about your relationship with Temari?" Her tone was sincere again. She wanted to know, not because she wanted to gossip but because she cared. He wanted to tell her but there was this uncertainty that surrounded him and stopped him in his tracks.

"It's in the past. It should stay there." He refused to make eye contact with her. He wasn't embarrassed or ashamed but he felt that if he looked into her caring eyes then he would open himself up to her. It's not that he didn't trust Sakura either, it's just that he wasn't ready to tell anyone what happened yet. After the break up he spoke to Choji about it but even he didn't know everything about what happened.

"I'm sorry if I hit a nerve Shikamaru." she reached over and placed a hand on his smooth shoulder. "You're hot. Like really hot." He immediately cursed himself because he knew what was coming next. Sakura moved her hand up to his forehead and felt the fever raging on inside his body.

"I guess it wasn't just a hangover then." He tried to smile as he looked at Sakura again but the focus and concentration on her face didn't waver.

"You're lucky I am not beating the crap out of you right now." Her angered expression then turned into a caring one as she stood up. He noticed that she was still in her cute pyjamas. He looked around to try and find a clock or something to tell the time because he couldn't really see how high the sun was in the sky. His eyes stopped on one mounted on the wall next to the door. Just after 2 in the afternoon. He really did sleep long. Hell, he was surprised that he fell asleep. Usually it was just 20 minute naps at a time.  
"Take these." She handed him two round, white tablets then a glass of water. He swallowed the tablets and drained the glass of its contents to her satisfaction then handed the empty glass back to her before settling his body on the bed again.

"What were the tablets for?" He asked her before she did anything else.

"To poison you." Her sarcasm couldn't be missed in her answer. It wasn't without just cause; he probably should've told her the truth.  
She left the room without another word leaving Shikamaru alone with his demons. Fortunately for him, his demons were just as lazy as he was. He sunk his head into the pillow and closed his eyes allowing his body to slow down and relax. He knew he was sick and he hated it. It gave him a reason to stay in bed and do nothing but it made his body ache and sweat which just made it uncomfortable.  
He just wanted to lay on the soft bed and think about nothing. He wanted a clear mind but someone kept popping up in his mind and someone he didn't ever want to think about again; Temari. They broke up nearly a year ago and he was good at stuffing all of his thoughts about her in the furthest corner of his mind since he was too lazy to recall those thoughts about her anyway but Sakura dragged his mind over to think about her again.

"Troublesome woman." He mumbled under his breath. He knew why he was attracted to Temari though. She was beautiful, she was intelligent, she was driven, she was caring. She showed him so much more than she showed anyone else and he couldn't help but be mesmerized by it. She was the exact opposite of what he wanted in a female but he didn't care. He took the chance but then it didn't work out. He knew it probably wouldn't but who wouldn't take the chance to open a treasure chest when someone hands it to them.

"What are you thinking about?" Damn, he really was loosing touch with his ninja abilities. He didn't know if it was because he wasn't testing his abilities enough these days or if it was because he just felt safe being around her so he didn't need to be on high alert but he didn't like it. He needed to get back to being a ninja and soon.  
"Are you listening to me Nara?" She was sitting on the bed next to him with a tray in on her lap. Either she moved at the speed of light, slowed down time or he was just lost in his own world because she couldn't have moved without him noticing. He really needed to stop letting his guard down around her.  
"Okay, what's your deal? Why are you ignoring me?"

"It's nothing. I am sorry about that." He quickly pushed himself up against the headboard behind him fighting through the pain flowing through his body.

"It's not nothing. It's not like you to be lost like this." She really did know him. Growing up together did have its perks. He could plan out how Choji or Ino would react in any situation almost perfectly because they had grown up like siblings thanks to the bond their families shared. He knew a lot about Sakura and could probably figure out how she would react in a lot of different situations as well but there was still a lot about her that he didn't know. She still had a lot to learn about him as well but thanks to their long friendship, they understood each other more than most people did.  
"If this is about the kiss last night then you don't have to worry about it. I was just trying to get your mind clear and you were kind of being sweet so I kissed you. It's not like we haven't kissed before."

"Kissing before we even knew how to do a jutsu doesn't really count you know." He could see what she was trying to do. He might have dropped his guard around her but he could still see through her plans. She was trying to lighten the mood hoping that he would open up more. He knew that she wouldn't let it go but he didn't want to open up.

"I'm just saying. We were just trying to see if we still knew how to kiss." Damn, he knew that the kiss was probably just a kiss to her but he was still struggling to find out how he felt about her and she wasn't making things any easier. One moment they would be having an intense verbal battle then it would turn into a sincere conversation or they would be flirting with each other which would turn into talking about real life problems. She was confusing. He wanted so much to tell her that but he didn't know where to start. This was all to damn troublesome. Emotions were troublesome. Relationship were troublesome. She was troublesome so why did he feel attracted to it?

"We clearly have no problem there." He wanted to reply with short sentences so that he didn't let anything slip. She could keep him here but she wasn't going to make him spill what she wanted him to talk about.

"Definitely not. Don't worry about the kiss. It doesn't suddenly mean that I want to be in a relationship with you or something else." He got her answer to the unasked question. She didn't want a relationship with him and didn't like him like that. Did he like her like that? Did he want to be in a relationship with her? What exactly did he want their relationship to be? Why did it hurt when she told him that?

"I wouldn't expect it to mean that." Short and sweet. That is what he was playing at and it was working.

"I made us lunch I guess." Sakura told him finally drawing his attention to the contents on the tray. Sandwiches and tea. Simple, he liked it. She handed him a cup and a plate then began eating.

"Not exactly breakfast in bed but close enough. First the kiss and now this. Are you sure that this isn't you hinting that you want to be in a relationship with me?" In a game of shogi, this would've been him starting his attack.

"Don't flatter yourself."

"I don't need to. You kissed me last night and now you're doing this for me. You're doing all the flattering for me it would seem." He corners. Perfect trap.

"Touché." She gave up. Just when he was enjoying their little game. "Are you feeling any better?"

"Not really. The tablets you gave me haven't kicked in yet."

"Maybe if you eat then it could help speed the process along."

"I still don't know if those tablets you gave me were to make me more sick or to heal me. I don't know if you put something in these sandwiches to do the same as well." He smiled as he watched her roll her eyes. She would most probably become fun or become irritated and angry but either way, he was going to enjoy it.

"Just eat before I drag you to the hospital by your ankles." Irritated and angry, he knew her all too well.

"Yes ma'am." He was going to enjoy irritating her now. She was probably going to blow it off since she wanted to make him feel better while he was sick anyway.

"Whatever." He called it right again.

"I have a question; how did we end up sleeping in the lounge to sleeping on your bed?" That was quietly bothering him the entire time. Now seemed like the perfect time to ask.

"I picked you up and put you here when we were cleaning this morning. You managed to sleep through all our noise. At one point I just your pulse to see if you were still alive."

"You should've woken me up. I could've helped."

"You needed the sleep. It's like you haven't slept in days." That wasn't far from the truth. Having short naps wasn't the same as having a deep, peaceful sleep.  
"And you are sick so you wouldn't have been any help anyway."

"True. Are they all gone?"

"Yeah. Most of them were hungover but we all have the day off today anyway so it's not a problem."

"Unless someone decides to break the peace and attack the village."

"Who would be crazy enough to do that?"

"Orochimaru for one."

"He agreed not to cause any trouble though."

"And you believe him? The guy that betrayed us, destroyed villages, kidnapped Sasuke, conducted human experiments..."

"Okay, I get it. Orochimaru can't be trusted but Sasuke could easily take him down again." Her faith in Sasuke never wavered. She always believed in him no matter how rogue he seemed to go. That belief paid off during the war though. He helped everyone take down Madara, Kaguya and Zetsu. He ended up fighting Naruto straight after the war for some stupid reason though. They locked him up after that then Kakashi let him go. Apparently he told them that he would rule in the shadows or something like that. Shikamaru didn't really care what Sasuke did anymore. He gave up trying to figure him out and just let him do whatever he was going to do. Despite everything that happened, Shikamaru still considered Sasuke a friend. An arrogant, egotistical, bastard of a friend but a friend nonetheless.

"Are there any threats that we should be aware of though? No one have a revenge plan that they want to carry out?"

"Not that I know of. I guess everyone just wants to enjoy the peace for now." Who wouldn't want to enjoy the peace. There was free travel between most villages and all the major villages welcomed the trade between each other. It would definitely boost financial status and strengthen relations between them. Everyone wins.

"True. Let's just hope that it lasts."

"It won't last unless the Kage can meet and discuss the way forward."

"Haven't they done it already?"

"Every time they schedule a meeting then one of them are either too busy or they aren't welcomed in a certain region."

"They better sort it out soon. We don't need an uprising happening any time soon."

"You're going to be working with Kakashi so I am sure he won't mind you trying to get the meeting scheduled."

"I first need to talk to him about what my role will be exactly."

"I am pretty sure that it's like Shizune's but a little more advanced."

"I'm not running after him if that's what he is planning."

"You running at all will be a miracle."

"Shut up." Shikamaru told her as she had an amusing smile plaguing her face. This is what he liked. A comfortable conversation with Sakura. No challenges, no flirting, no confusion. Just a friendly conversation and a little banter thrown in for good measure.  
"That was delicious." He finished eating and drinking the tea that Sakura had made then put the plate and cup back on the tray. He saw that she had finished as well while they spoke.

"I'm going to finish cleaning up inside so if need me then you know where to find me." Sakura grabbed the tray then exited the room leaving Shikamaru alone again.  
He couldn't help but smile. Sakura was proving to be less and less troublesome. She was a normal simple girl when she was at home from what he could see. She wasn't as aggressive as she was when they hung out with everyone else. She wasn't as cryptic or challenging when they played games. She was just... normal. Was she the normal girl that he was looking for?

"Troublesome." He muttered as relaxed his down on the bed again. He turned on his side and hoped to fall asleep. He didn't want to think about Temari, Sakura or any other girl anymore. He just wanted sleep so that his body can rest up and heal. The sooner he gets better, the sooner Sakura would let him go home where he didn't have to think about any girls.

Arms wrapped around him, short breaths barrelling down his bare back, legs entangled with his. He slowly opened his eyes and hoped that he wasn't dreaming. Sure enough, he wasn't dreaming. He was still in her tidy room. He was still on her soft bed. He was still next to her. He turned around in her arms. Her moans of disapproval evident as his body separated from hers momentarily.

"Shhhhhhhhh." He softly told her as he wrapped one arm under her head and another one around her stomach. She slowly relaxed her body, entangling their legs once again as her soft breaths travelled over his chiselled abdomen now. She continued sleeping to his relief. If she woke up right now and saw the position they were in then it would definitely make things a little awkward between them.  
Why would it be awkward though? It felt so natural. Having her in his arms made everything else fade away into nothingness. All he cared about at that moment was that she was safe and that she was his.  
He found himself dozing off again but then he immediately felt someone else's presence nearby. It didn't feel like someone walking past outside the house. It felt nearer. It was nearer. He heard footsteps growing closer and closer to the room. His eyes stopped on the door of the bedroom waiting for the intruder to come inside. He slowly made his clans famous hand signs under the blanket, getting ready to trap whoever the intruder was as soon as they entered the room.

"Forehead, I swear to god, if you're still in bed then I am going to beat the crap out of you." Ino's voice was instantly recognizable. The irritating voice that always complained and threatened him followed him to the perfect moment he was in with the goddess in his arms.  
The door swung open revealing his blonde teammate. His shadows reseeded leaving Ino standing with an unmistakeably surprised look on her face. Her surprised look turned into a more joyous one overrun by a devilish smile. It could only mean one thing; the gossip queen found a new story.  
"Am I interrupting something?" Her giggles confirmed his speculations and he already hated her presence.

"If I hear one word about this from anyone else then I am going to make sure Kakashi gives you the worst missions you can think of." His threats never phased her and this time was no different. He was pretty sure that she wasn't even paying attention.

"You two look so cute together. Did you do it?" Yep, clearly not listening.

"What are you doing here?"

"Are you guys naked?" She immediately took off the blankets before he could answer.

"What is wrong with you? What if we were naked?"

"What? It's not like I haven't seen both of you naked before." True. He had gotten naked in front of Ino before and she had gotten naked in front of him before but he didn't know why it would be weird if she saw him naked with Sakura.

"How did you even get in?"

"Sakura gave me her extra key in case of emergencies."

"And you think this was an emergency?"

"I didn't know. She could've been lying on her bathroom floor bleeding to death." Highly unlikely but not impossible.

"What's with all the talking?" Sakura complained as she tightened her hold on Shikamaru while she snuggled closer to him probably trying to use him to replace the warmth she lost when Ino took the blankets off them.

"That was too cute." Ino commented. Sakura's eyes immediately shot open then slowly looked up to see the owner of the body she was clinging on to. Her eyes were accepting, caring, kind and even loving to a point but then her reaction immediately turned into a more shy one.  
"If you two are finished looking into each others eyes..." Ino let her words trail off drawing their attention to her. Shikamaru and Sakura immediately released each other.

"What are you doing here Ino?" Sakura quickly asked her. She sat up on the edge of the bed then straightened her pyjamas refusing to make eye contact with her best friend.

"We have a breakfast date remembered." Ino immediately leaned closer to Sakura to whisper but still spoke loud enough for Shikamaru to hear. "Or did he screw you so hard that your brain is scrambled already?"

"Shut up Ino pig." Sakura's embarrassment couldn't be hidden as she stood up and dragged Ino out of the room by her arm. Shikamaru didn't know what was happening. He just laid on the bed dumbstruck by what happened.


	5. Chapter 5

**HEY GUYS AND GIRLS. IT TOOK A LONG TIME BUT I HOPE IT WAS WORTH IT. I DON'T KNOW WHEN I WILL GET TIME TO TYPE ANOTHER CHAPTER SO JUST BEAR WITH ME. THANKS FOR ALL THE SUPPORT. I'M SORRY ABOUT ALL THE ERRORS AS WELL. IT SPOILS THE STORY BUT I AM NOT PERFECT. I HOPE EVERYONE ENJOYS THE CHAPTER.**

 **HAPPY READING:)**

"I thought you forgot about me." Kurenai told him that afternoon. He left Sakura's house and went straight to Kurenai's house first before he went anywhere else. He didn't check on her yesterday and he was a little worried about her despite her being older and much more responsible than him.

"I thought that you might want your space for a day." He didn't want to tell her where he was because he knew that it would be admitting that something might be happening between him and Sakura which meant that she would be right which also meant that she would tease him non-stop about it.

"I've been trying to get you to leave me alone for months but you never did. You look like you're rested and fresh actually." She looked him up and down analysing every part of him like he was a test subject.  
"You were with a girl." He was pretty sure that she knew more than she was letting on. There was no way she could've known that he was by Sakura.

"Why would you think that?" He relaxed on the couch he was sitting on hoping to show her that he wasn't perturbed by her statement.

"Just a hunch. How was Sakura's party?" Now she was just fishing. She knew that he was by a girl but that was as far as her knowledge went. Which girl he ended up with was a mystery to her and he wanted to keep it that way.

"It was okay I guess. Catching up with everyone, games, drinks, drinking games; it was fun." He wasn't going to chance it. He was going to do his best to keep all the information about what happened at Sakura's apartment to himself.

"How was Sakura?" There it was again. She clearly thought there was something happening between him and Sakura. He didn't know why she wanted them together anyway. Kurenai knew about his relationship with Temari but she only knew what everyone else knew; which was basically nothing much. Maybe Kurenai thought that Sakura was a better choice for him. He could never figure out Kurenai and he definitely wasn't planning on trying to figure her out any time soon anyway. Whatever went on inside the genjutsu user was for her to deal with and he didn't want any part of it.

"What do you mean?"

"Was she a good host? Did the party go smoothly?"

"Yeah. Everyone enjoyed themselves. Some a little too much I suppose."

"Oh yeah? Any gossip I should know about?" This was probably the reason why Ino and Kurenai got along. Kurenai liked to gossip as much as Ino did but the only difference was that Kurenai was more mature about it. She didn't go out and spread gossip but if someone asked her then she wouldn't keep quiet about it unless it would hurt that person. Gossip was still gossip to Shikamaru regardless of who was speaking it.

"You know that I don't gossip. It's a waste of energy." That was true. He never spread any gossip but he didn't mind hearing the odd rumour here and there. He wanted to keep up to date with things happening in the village so that way he could without having to go around and ask people.

"You're no fun Shikamaru. You're as difficult as Hinata when it comes to getting information out of you guys." Hinata wasn't the gossiping type. Everyone knew that but they didn't believe it, especially since she was friends with Ino.

"I actually need to apologise to Hinata for what happened at the party." Shikamaru remembered.

"What did you do?" This definitely caught Kurenai's attention. As long as she wasn't thinking about him and Sakura then he would entertain her.

"I groped her breasts with my shadows." He informed her.

"Why the hell did you do that Shikamaru? I expected more from you." He knew that Kurenai cared about Hinata. She was the Hyuga's sensei so it was to be expected but they had a much deeper bond. It was like Kurenai was a second mother to her.

"We were arm wrestling. Girls against guys. The girls were playing dirty so I evened the playing field." He defended himself. Hopefully Kurenai accepted that explanation.

"Was that before or after you and Sakura slept together?" He nearly choked on his words when Kurenai said that. She was trying to evoke a reaction out of him and he fell right into her trap. He had to admit; it was a brilliant one. Making him relaxed and steering him away from her target then getting him on the back foot all the while lowering his guard waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Checkmate.  
"Did you think you were the only genius around here?" Her sly smile spread proudly across her face.

"We didn't have sex. We just slept next to each other." He stated. She knew that something happened between Shikamaru and Sakura but he could control just how much he wanted to tell her.

"Did you guys kiss?"

"Yes but it was short kiss to get me to go to sleep. It didn't mean anything."

"To her or to you?"

"To both of us."

"And you know this because?"

"She told me so herself yesterday."

"So you were by her yesterday." Kurenai confirmed. He just couldn't seem to get the upper hand around her. What was it with her and Sakura that made him feel so comfortable around them?

"She kept me there because I was sick and hungover." Shikamaru admitted.

"I need to know the whole story. You have to explain this to me in detail." This was going to be troublesome. He began explaining what happened during the party and the first night they slept together leading up to what happened this morning with Ino. He had to admit, the more he explained the what happened, the more he got confused. Did Sakura like him romantically or not? Did he like Sakura or was it just a longing for a human connection? Did he want to be with Sakura? Everything just seemed so complicated yet so simple at the same time.

"...and that is basically how I ended up here." He finished off then looked at Kurenai who was smiling like she just won the lotto.

"Just ask her out on a date. It will confirm everything then you don't have to be so confused anymore." Kurenai had such plain view of seeing things. Maybe that's why she was so confident. She didn't know everything that was going on in his head or in Sakura's so she just judged by their actions which seemed to be saying more than enough.

"She doesn't want to be in a relationship with me and I am honestly not in the right head space to be thinking about dating anyone. Everything is just too troublesome."

"Maybe Sakura could be the missing piece of that messed up puzzle you call a brain."

"Or maybe she is the piece that is ready to tear the puzzle apart."

"And that's a bad thing?" Was it a bad thing? Maybe he did need to restart. Maybe he did need someone to come and break him down in order to see what he really wanted. Maybe he needed the storm before the calm. Maybe.

"I don't know. I need to focus on starting my new position with Kakashi so I need to get home and freshen up before I go to him." He wanted to get out of there before Kurenai gave his already troubled head more to think about. She probably liked seeing the lazy genius all messed up like this.

"I will see you tomorrow then." Kurenai told him as she stood up with a smile still playing on her face. He stood up as well then began making his way to the door.

"You probably shouldn't give into your cravings so much Kurenai. Your baby needs nutrients that ramen doesn't have." Kurenai's was stumped. He could tell that she was trying to figure out he knew. She wasn't the only one who could get the other messed up.  
"If you are going to give into your cravings then do a better job of hiding it. I've hung out with Naruto more than enough to know every kind of ramen container in this village."

"What ramen container are you talking about?" She trying to deny it hoping that he was bluffing. A good tactic but he wasn't bluffing.

"The one in your cupboard next to your baby food." He knew that he had her there. She opened the cupboard to make them some tea and he easily saw the container before she closed it. Maybe she thought he wouldn't notice it because of all the baby things with it.

"I didn't eat it yet. It's just there." Kurenai was defending now.

"I didn't say you couldn't eat it. Just be mindful of what will happen if you eat too much of it."

"Yes daddy." He couldn't help but have a chuckle at that while Kurenai did the same.

"I will see you tomorrow then." Shikamaru exited the apartment then began making his way home. He knew that the direct route home would be bustling with people and, as usual, he didn't want to run into anyone. He decided to take the longer way where he knew that there were less people and hopefully no one he knew. Thankfully he made it home without any hassles.

"Mom?" He called out when he didn't hear any movement in the house. He got no response. He checked all over the tiring large house but still couldn't find his mother. He gave up the search and decided to take a shower. If something happened to his mother then someone would've informed him.  
He undressed him as he switched the shower on so that it could heat up while he waited. He stepped in and the was grateful for the hot water running down his bare skin. Then he remembered Sakura's hands travelling across his body this morning. The way her arms pulled him closer to her. The way her breaths swept over his body. He missed it already.

"Shikamaru, is that you?" His mother's voice jerked him back to reality. She was outside the bathroom so there was no awkwardness between them.

"Yeah mom."

"Okay." He could hear her footsteps making their way down the hall away from the bathroom. He breathed a sigh of relief that she didn't come into steamy room. It's not like she didn't see him naked before but he just wanted to be alone with his thoughts of Sakura. He tried recalling his memories but it disappeared for now so he decided to do what he actually came into the shower to do.

"Where were you yesterday?" Yoshino asked her son when he entered the kitchen after he put clothes on. She was busy cooking something so he took a seat by the kitchen table.

"I was by Sakura's house. I was feeling a little sick so she told me to stay and rest by her. She's kind of a doctor."

"Just like you're kind of my son."

"Just like I'm kind of the head of our clan." That brought a smile to his mother's face but it brought an equally disturbing expression to Shikamaru's. He never wanted the position. He was just following what everyone told him to do. The first month after the war was declared a month of mourning which had Shikamaru walking around the village like a zombie following everyone's instructions. He couldn't remember half the things he did during that month. It felt like he took a drug that put him to sleep while someone else controlled his body and when he woke up, he was being prepared to be the leader of the Nara clan. He remembered that week very vividly unfortunately. He, Ino and Choji prepared together which basically meant that Ino was given their tasks to do and made sure that he and Choji did it. The party at the end was okay. He remembered seeing Temari there but they didn't get greet each other. She was talking to Anko of all people. He didn't give it much attention and just continued on with the rest of the night. He never once acknowledged that he was the head of his clan and his mother knew that he didn't want to but know that he did, she couldn't be more proud of him.  
"That was a slip of the tongue so don't read into it." He knew that his mother would do it anyway. It's like the women in his life didn't care what he told them because they continued the way they planned to.

"Well Mr Head of My Clan, how are you feeling?" It would only be his mother to make fun of him while still showing that she cared about her son.

"I'm much better than yesterday." That was true. He was feeling great actually. Whatever pills Sakura gave him worked perfectly. Now he knew first hand why she was a superstar in the medical field.

"Sakura must've done great job if she could cure you in one day." He knew his mother was hinting to something else and her devious smile confirmed it.

"Whatever." That was his way of telling his mother that he was finished with that conversation and his mother knew it.

"I'm going to be making dango for with dinner." His mother cheerily announced much to his surprise. He didn't want to underestimate his mother's cooking skills but she wasn't that daring when it came to cooking. Usually she would only try cooking new things when guests came over for dinner.

"Are we expecting any guests for dinner?"

"I bumped into Choji and Ino's mother's in the market earlier. We arranged for all of us to have dinner here tonight." At least they 'bumped' into each other this time. Normally Shikamaru would be pulled along to dinner with them without any explanation at all. He got that their clans had a closer connection than any other clans but dropping by unannounced for dinner should be a crime, especially the amount of times they do it.  
"Mebuki also said that she would bring her family." The name sounded familiar. His mother clearly knew the woman and he would too by tonight. It did spark his memory though but not enough to actually remember.

"Are you sure you're making enough food then?" He noticed that his mother wasn't making a lot of food despite the amount of guests they were expecting. He also knew that if Choji and his father were coming then there should at least be more pots on the stove.

"It was a spontaneous thing so we each agreed to make dinner by our own houses and bring it here so that we can share." Pretty cool idea. Everyone feels like they participated and there would be a range of things to eat.

"That's actually kind of cool mom."

"And you kind of have to behave yourself tonight as well. Sakura is probably coming with so no jumping each other's bones while we're at the table." That's where he heard her name; Mebuki is Sakura's mother. His memory really needed a jump start.

"How about inviting Kurenai as well? We have over enough place here so she can spend the night here and can go home tomorrow." That way he didn't have to go to check up on her tonight or tomorrow morning. Killing two birds with one stone.

"That's a good idea." His mother agreed. "You're going to have to go fetch her though."

"I'm going to go to Kakashi now to go sort out a few things so I will fetch her on my way back."

"Anything important?"

"I just want to know what my job will be exactly. I want to start tomorrow." He actually wanted to start now but he knew that if he started now then he probably wouldn't be coming home for dinner and he knew that his mother would never forgive him for that.

"Good. Now get going so that I can cook in peace." His mother instructed him. He unenthusiastically stood up then made his way out of the house. He quickly climbed onto one rooftop then jumped from one rooftop to another until he got to the hokage tower. He jumped down from the last building and landed in front of the entrance. Two ninja immediately rushed past him into the building.

"This is going to be troublesome." He muttered as he enter the building himself.

"Shikamaru. Great, you're here." Shizune said as she walked past him two heavy binders in her arms.

"Was I supposed to be here?" He followed behind her as she began walking down the corridors in the direction of Kakashi's office.

"No but I was about to send someone to go fetch you. We could really use your help." They reached the Hokage's office and she immediately let herself in.  
"Hokage-sama; Shikamaru is here to help." Shizune announced. Shikamaru entered the room and saw the two ninja that rushed past him a few moments ago. They were standing in front of the desk ready for Kakashi to give them his orders while Kakashi was looking over a map with scrolls rolled out all over the table. Shikamaru immediately made his way next to the two ninja.

"What can I help you with Hokage-sama?" It felt weird to call Kakashi 'Hokage-sama' but he knew that it would be disrespectful to call him Kakashi-sensei in front of other ninja.

"We received a report informing us that one of the smaller villages on the outskirts of the fire country are going to be raided soon. We don't know by how many men but if this is the same group that raided the village in the wind country last week then we can estimate that the enemy is well over fifty men." Kakashi informed him.

"May I?" Shikamaru asked gesturing to the table.

"Of course." Shikamaru immediately went closer and looked at the map spread out on the table. He studied the terrain around the village before studying the structure of the village itself.

"What was the last report from the village?" Shikamaru asked.

"Ino is in contact with them. The last report was 10 minutes ago saying that they only have 20 men that are capable of fighting. The rest are elderly people, women and children." He recognised the ninja that spoke. He saw him around the village a couple of times. Sandy blonde hair, goggles protecting his eyes, two short swords on his back; Kuzumo. The other one he didn't recognise at all. There were many non-combatant ninja that worked in the village so maybe he was one of them.

"How long will it take for our ninja to reach them?"

"At least another hour." That was too long. A raid of this size usually happened quickly and if this was the second time they were doing it then they must've scouted the village before hand.

"Can I see the report on the last village they attacked?"

"Here it is." Shizune handed Shikamaru the scroll. He immediately unrolled it and began reading it. It didn't provide any details as to how they attacked but it did say that they entered the village from one side. They slaughtered the villagers and burnt down the houses. They didn't leave any survivors.

"What is your plan Hokage-sama?" Shikamaru politely asked him.

"There is no plan that will work. They don't have the man power to defend the village. They are outnumbered, outclassed and overpowered. It will take at least 20 minutes for the enemy to destroy the village. Our ninja can use that time to gain ground on the group and take them out." Kakashi was right. No matter what they did, the most likely outcome would end in the village being destroyed but he couldn't accept it. There had to be another way.  
This reminded him of the times he played shogi with his father. He could never get the upper hand against him. Every time he thought he was getting the upper hand would result in his father blind siding him and taking him out. This time it was real life though. This time he had more pieces coming to the board to help him. All he needed was to buy time.

"The enemy knows that the villagers can't keep them out so we let them in." Shikamaru suggested.

"That's suicide." Kuzumo wasn't wrong.

"Let me finish first. Both villages are similar in structure so I don't think the enemy would change the structure of their attack too much. They will attack from one side and I think that they would most likely attack from the east side of the village since that is the weakest defence. Let's use that side to draw them in then. Take all the defence equipment away from that side and reinforce the other sides with it. Then plant traps all along the east side. That would make them more cautious so draw them in more and take them out when they least expect it. While that is happening, filter the elderly people, women and children out through the west side. Tell them to head to make their way through the forest and up the mountain. If the raiders want to kill them then they would have to catch them first before our ninja do." Not one of his best ideas but not the worst considering what he was working with.

"The forest isn't exactly the best hiding place, especially when it gets darker." Kakashi pointed out.

"That mountain range doesn't have any large predators that they should be considered about. The only danger there is the poisonous plants and insects but they already know about that since they live there." He looked over at Kakashi and but he couldn't see if the hokage was satisfied with his idea or not. Half his face was still covered by his mask which irritated Shikamaru. He could never tell what Kakashi was thinking then. Could anyone tell what he was thinking with that mask on?

"Give the kid a break Kakashi. You two, go tell Ino to get Shikamaru's plan to that village." That was one way to announce your presence in the room.

"Lady Tsunade." Shizune said but the surprise in her voice was unmistakeable. It didn't seem like anyone knew that she was there.

"I thought I always told you to be on alert Shizune." Lady Tsunade was always hard on Shizune but he knew that she thought of the young kunoichi as her own daughter but Shizune acted like the older woman's mother most of the time.

"Yes um... I was..."

"Stop stuttering. You two, what are you still doing here?" Lady Tsunade asked them while she joined Kakashi and Shikamaru by the table.

"You have your orders." Kakashi told them. They bowed then disappeared right before their eyes.

"Lady Tsunade, what are you doing here?" Shizune asked her.

"I heard you guys might need some help. If I had known Shikamaru was here already then I wouldn't have bothered." Lady Tsunade thought too highly of him. Everyone did all because of his father's reputation and his clan's intelligence. Granted, his reputation spiked when he became the first one of the Konoha 9 to be promoted to chunin on his first try but that didn't mean that he was some sort of special ninja or a genius for that matter. He just knew a lot about a lot and used that to not die. That's how he reasoned it anyway.

"Your experience is much more valuable right now Lady Tsunade." His modesty was as bold as the Hokage's faces on the mountain overlooking the village right now.

"Modesty. I got your father out of it so don't make me get it out of you. Be proud of your actions." Lady Tsunade definitely didn't like it when people were modest but Shikamaru hated attention. They were clearly not the best combination but Shikamaru never failed a mission that Lady Tsunade helped him on in the past.

"My apologies Lady Tsunade." He gave her a slight bow.

"Stop it already Shikamaru. It's only the four of us in here right now."

"Then why does Shizune look so scared?" On cue, all of their attention turned towards the younger kunoichi in the room.

"I'm not scared." Shizune tried to hide it but none of them were buying it. Lady Tsunade crossed her arms over her unusually large chest while Shikamaru had a bored expression on his face. No one could tell what the white-haired hokage was thinking so Shizune couldn't intimidate them. Shizune was smart, quick thinking and a great shinobi but compared to the stature of the three shinobi in front of her, she was outclassed.

"Shizune dear, would you mind handing me the mission reports for the past two weeks?" Lady Tsunade was clearly testing Shizune. The two of them were like family so this rivalry they had between them wasn't without just cause. If anyone should've been scared between them then it should've been Lady Tsunade since Shizune was basically the reason why Lady Tsunade held her life together and didn't gamble it away.  
He overheard a conversation between Sakura and Lady Tsunade once and he will never forget what Lady Tsunade said about Shizune; 'She's like my daughter. I've taught her and you everything I know. I can't teach you girls anymore. You've found your confidence and that is what I want for Shizune. She has the talent, the power, the abilities to become the best medical kunoichi this nation or any other nation has ever seen. She just thinks that she needs me so I have to show her that she doesn't need me anymore.'  
This was probably Lady Tsunade's way of trying to get Shizune to be more confident. It was weird but if you want to teach a bird how to fly, you have to push it out the nest and Shizune was trying her best to stay inside the nest.

"Here we go Lady Tsunade." Shizune confidently said but he could see her hand shaking a little when Lady Tsunade put her hand on the folder as well.

"Thank you." Lady Tsunade's mind games could rival Ino's if not surpass it. This just proved to Shikamaru that women are troublesome.

"Kakashi-sensei, I actually came here to talk about what I am going to be doing here." Shikamaru finally spoke up.

"You will be one of my advisor's along with Lady Tsunade."

"What does that entail exactly?"

"You'll basically be doing what you did now but just that you will be a more hands on. You have a lot of work ahead of you Shikamaru." Lady Tsunade told him. "Where is his office Kakashi?"

"The one opposite us." Shizune quickly informed them.

"Great. Kakashi; you and Shizune need to work on your contingency plans in case Shikamaru's plan somehow fails. If it works then you need to figure out what to do next." Lady Tsunade began walking out of the room. "Come with me Shikamaru, we need to talk."  
Those four words terrified the hell out of him even if Lady Tsunade was nothing other than a former hokage, elite shinobi and a possible role model. He knew the power those four simple words had coming out of any female's mouth. It could mean anything from we need to talk about a rumour, a joke, a vacation to we need to talk about 'us', a past or current relationship, family etc. His mind immediately went blank when he heard those four words. The genius in him seemed to run away as soon as Tsunade finished her sentence.  
Shikamaru mindlessly walked out of the room and followed Lady Tsunade into the room on the opposite side of the corridor. He had to admit, his office was pretty nice. It didn't have any windows but when Lady Tsunade closed the door behind them it became like a different planet. It was closed off from everywhere. He knew it used to be a storage room before but now it was his new haven.

"Shikamaru." Lady Tsunade grabbed his attention. This was it. Hopefully he didn't regret coming here this afternoon.


	6. Chapter 6

**HEY GUYS AND GIRLS. I'M BACK. THIS STORY REALLY TAKES A LOT OF ME. IT'S WORTH IT SO I HOPE YOU GUYS AND GIRLS APPRECIATE IT AS WELL. I'M GLAD THAT MOST OF YOU LIKE THE STORY SO FAR SO I HOPE THAT I DO THIS STORY THE JUSTICE IT DESERVES.**

 **HAPPY READING:)**

He couldn't focus. Not surprising considering everything that happened in the past couple of months but he wanted to focus. He wanted to get some work done at least. He wasn't the type to procrastinate while he worked. When he didn't want to start working then he would find himself lying under a weeping tree with enough shade to protect him from the burning sun.  
This time it was different though. His focus was on too many things that he couldn't focus on any one thing. He found himself sitting on his chair behind his wooden desk while staring at page but thinking about ten million other things in his head. Lady Tsunade really did mess with his mind. Never trust those four dreaded words coming out of a females mouth. It usually never ends with the other person being happy or close to happiness.

"Shikamaru." A voice brought him back to reality. He looked up then saw Shizune standing in the door frame of his office.

"Do you need anything Shizune?" He tried calming down and getting back to his senses. He needed something to focus all his attention to so that his mind didn't lose itself to the thoughts roaming around in his head and Shizune was the perfect person to focus on right now.

"We received an update. Kakashi wants to see you." He almost forgot about that. The hour seemed to fly by so quickly. He wordlessly stood up then followed Shizune across the brightly lit passage to the Hokage's office. Kakashi sat on his chair behind his surprisingly organised desk. Shizune must've helped him sort it out. It was still filled with paperwork and files but it was organised, for now at least. Shizune left the room allowing Shikamaru and Kakashi to talking in private.

"Your plan seems to have worked Shikamaru." That was good news but Shikamaru sense that the bad news was just around the corner. He learnt all too well that happiness is always followed by the reality of life.

"What didn't seem to work?" He knew that he had to be prepared to lose everything but if his plan worked then everything couldn't have been lost, could it?

"Eight men died. The rest are injured. Half the village was devoured by flames. The group retreated. Kiba, Akamaru and Lee are trying to chase them down." Kakashi really did choose the shinobi for this mission very carefully. Kiba and Akamaru could sniff out an ant in a forest while Lee had the strength and speed of an army of shinobi. He did worry that the three of them wouldn't be enough to take down the enemy especially if they are still a large group. He also knew better than to underestimate his friends but realistically, the odds weren't in their favour.

"How many of the enemy were killed?"

"There were only 15 bodies found in the village." That would mean that there were still about 35 of the enemy left. If they were planning on using strength in numbers then he would've breathed a little easier but he didn't know that. He needed to be there in the middle of the battle to find out just how strong the enemy was.

"What about the women, children and elderly?" He nearly forgot about them. He did create the plan so that he could keep them safe at least. They didn't deserve to die by the hands of those bandits.

"They're all safe. They went into the forest when the fighting began but the other villagers went to go fetch them when the enemy retreated." He could breathe a sigh of relief now. They were safe but his relief immediately turned into worry for his friends. He didn't want to lose anymore. He couldn't lose anyone else.

"What help is Kiba, Akamaru and Lee receiving?"

"We can't send them any help. Tenten said that they should track them but not engage them. Whether or not they are able to do that will be clear in the next couple of hours." Kakashi sounded awfully calm about this whole situation. He was one of their senseis so did he really not care about their safety? Maybe he just couldn't afford to express his emotions. Maybe he was expressing an emotion which was blocked by his mask.

"What is the next step?" Yes. This is what he needed. A way to continue moving forward. A way to distract himself from the hurricane wreaking havoc in his head.

"Tenten is supplying the villagers with defensive weapons while the rest of their team sets up a perimeter in case of another attack. We've sent out another team with supplies and other provisions that the villagers would need for the next couple of days while we help them rebuild their village. They will be safe during these next few days. Shizune is out compiling as much information about the attacks as possible. I've sent out a request to Gaara to share information about this group that he might have as well. Maybe we could have a joint mission to take down these bandits." He knew that Gaara wouldn't mind that. Gaara wanted the wind country to do more missions with any other village in order to improve their relationship. Gaara and Naruto shared an irreplaceable bond so when Naruto becomes hokage one day then the fire and wind countries would definitely become great allies.

"That's a good idea."

"The village wouldn't have survived if it wasn't for your quick thinking." Kakashi was praising him, this was new. From what Naruto and Sakura told him; Kakashi wasn't big on openly praising his students or any other student. He seldom encouraged them but he never put them down. Praising them was never something anyone would associate Kakashi with though.

"You and Lady Tsunade would've figured it out. You could've saved everyone." He wouldn't have put it past them. The two of them had decades of battle experience that he didn't have so they could've created a better plan.

"We might not have been able to do it as fast as you did. You saved that village Shikamaru." Was this Kakashi's way of getting him to fully accept the role of his advisor? Shizune let them be alone and Kakashi was praising him; definitely a perfect coincidence.

"Thank you Kakashi-sensei." He gave a polite bow. He somehow felt uncomfortable. Kakashi praising him just didn't feel right.

"Do you like your office?" Kakashi definitely was trying to keep him there. He wouldn't bring that up otherwise. Maybe Shikamaru could test his boundaries a little.

"I do. I could use a few shelves and a cupboard though. Maybe another chair or a couch that I could use if I needed someone's help." He was pretty sure that Kakashi knew what the lazy ninja was doing but could the hokage really afford to lose him right now?

"Shizune and I were in the process of adding more furniture to your office. You can consult with her about that. It would get one more thing off my plate." Turning it into his advantage; definitely a seasoned shinobi.

"I will talk to her about it tomorrow then."

"Are you leaving?" The hokage raised an eyebrow at that. He knew as well as anyone that when Shikamaru started something then he would finish it even if he did complain and take some time with it. One thing that no one could take away from Shikamaru was that he was reliable. If you needed him to do something then he would do it. Yes he was lazy but he didn't let that affect his relationships and he would always help his friends if they were in trouble.

"I have a dinner to get to and my mother would kill me if I missed it. I will start my position as your advisor properly tomorrow."

"I will see you tomorrow then." Kakashi gave him a nod of approval and Shikamaru returned it with a bow then left then room without another word. He thought about going back to his office and sorting out the papers lying on his own desk but he knew that if he went back in there then he would get sucked right into doing some work. He decided to go to Kurenai's apartment rather. He didn't know how long it would take her to get to his house so if he left now then they would have enough time. He made his way out of the elegant building and began making his way through the bustling streets of Konoha but then Lady Tsunade's messages came back to him.  
She spoke to him about three things. Three things he knew he needed to confront before starting to work but three things he dreaded. One of the things was his emotional state. She was a certified therapist as well as a doctor, unsurprisingly, so she knew if he was bullshitting her but he knew better than to try and fool the former hokage. He opened up to her about it. He told her about his visits to the cemetery and his lack of sleep. She listened with intent to what he was saying. She had a caring yet professional look on her face. It was like she was trying not to show any emotion but failing to do so. She knew the hardships that Shikamaru was going through all too well. She lost very important people in her life too. The most recent being her comrade and fellow member of the legendary Three Sannin; Jiraiya. If anyone could relate to him then it would be the former female hokage. It opened up old wounds but sometimes things need to get worse before they can get better.

"Are you coming in or are you just going to continue staring at the ground?" He didn't even realise he was already at Kurenai's apartment. He looked up at her as she stood in the doorway.  
"I must admit though, it's one interesting looking ground." She couldn't hide amusement anymore. She turned around and headed into her apartment while letting her amusement consume her.

"Troublesome." He muttered then sighed as he followed her. He looked around the apartment, nothing changed. He did notice one thing in the kitchen though.  
"You're clearly not hiding it anymore." He motioned to the ramen standing on the marble counter. It was open but he could see that there was still some ramen in it so he must've interrupted her.

"You did say that I could eat it but that I shouldn't eat a lot of it." He knew that he was going to regret saying that. His own words betrayed him. For some reason he felt like he let Asuma down but he was pretty sure that if Asuma was here then he would've given in a lot sooner than he had.

"I did say that." He admitted. "You have less than an hour to get ready." He slumped himself on one of the couches allowing his body to rest.

"Get ready for what?"

"Mom said that you have to come to dinner with us and I said that you have to spend the night."

"Do I get a say?"

"You're welcomed to fight my mother. I certainly won't stop you. If you can take her down then you'd be the first." He could tell that Kurenai was smiling even if he had his eyes closed. She always found it comforting when he would take light-hearted jabs at his mother. She was the only parent he had left so she might've thought that if Shikamaru and his mother could have such a close relationship with each other despite his father not being around then Kurenai and her child could have as close a relationship as theirs.

"I would rather not. Mothers are scary."

"Then you'll fit right in." Suddenly he felt something drop onto his stomach. He opened his eyes just enough to see Kurenai smirk before walking away. He saw that she dropped a bag on his stomach.

"This is my house so I can always kick you out." She made her way into her bedroom as she sent that last threat.

"I have Asuma's key so I will come right back in." He shouted loud enough for her to hear. Took a little more energy which irritated him but complaining about it would take more energy so he let it slide.

"I can have your mother take that key away from you. I might not be able to defeat her but I can get her to work with me." Two threats in a row. Kurenai wasn't planning on backing down any time soon. Why did women have to be so troublesome?

"You know that you can't live without my constant nagging." He couldn't fight fire with fire but he could control how that fire burned.

"I could. I know how to take care of myself. I've been doing it longer than you've been on this earth."

"But that wouldn't be any fun." He replied as she appeared again. She packed some things into the bag then zipped it up.

"Pregnancy isn't really all that fun you know."

"I am glad I'm not a female then."

"Sakura would probably enjoy being pregnant when you knock her up though." Kurenai was still on that. Why was his love life so important to her? Did she know something that he didn't? Did Sakura confide in her? He just needed to know why.

"Not me. I'm pretty sure that Sasuke has a better chance at doing that." Sasuke, now there's someone they could talk about and hopefully change the topic to.

"Sasuke isn't here and I don't think he has any plans on coming back any time soon. You on the other hand..." He needed another topic and he needed it now. She wasn't going to stop. She was like Ino when she found something to gossip about. They never let go until they looked at it from every angle.

"Can we go?" His frustration got the better of him. He tiredly stood up, grabbing her bag as he stretched.

"Why are you trying to change the topic? Trying to hide something Shikamaru?" Her sly smile proudly parading on her face as she made her way to the door.

"If I needed something to be hidden then you wouldn't even know it's gone."

"Am I sensing a little arrogance there?" Kurenai asked as they exited the apartment. She had the upper hand here and Shikamaru had no other option than to defend until an opportunity arose for him to strike back. Patience, the dreaded plan.

"Lady Tsunade told me to stop being modest so I am trying something new." Not exactly the truth but she didn't like his modesty.

"That sounds like her. She's always been too proud. Maybe she passed that on to her star student Sakura." And we're back to Sakura. It felt like no matter what he said, it would somehow result in Sakura's name being brought up.

"I think I am going to exercise my right to keep quiet." If he couldn't stop her talking then he could at least stop encouraging her. Something had to give.

"Such a drama queen." Kurenai rolled her eyes as she hooked her arm around the lazy ninja's unoccupied arm.

"Everything okay?" Kurenai usually didn't hook her arm around his when they made their way around the village. Panic immediately set itself firmly in his head as he went through the list of things that could've been going wrong.

"Relax, I am fine." He could tell that she was trying to hold back a chuckle. "This way you don't have to worry about me bumping into things or whatever you worry about. You can protect me easier like this."

"Both my arms are occupied so I can't weave any hand signs."

"You are strong enough to activate your shadows without weaving any hand signs."

"It wastes unnecessary energy."

"Are you saying that you won't protect me?" Checkmate. He couldn't keep her from winning anymore. The good news was that he could see the Nara compound ahead so they were nearly at their destination.

"If I won't then why did I protect you during Pein's attack?" She might've won the war but he could still go down with flare.

"Maybe you felt sorry for me."

"That's an awful lot of trouble just because I felt sorry for you don't you think?" Now it was his turn to finally get a little victory in.

"Touché." She still had her smile on her face knowing that she won the war but he also had a smile on his face content with the effort he put it. They silently reached Shikamaru's home and he allowed Kurenai to enter it first. He could hear lots of talking, laughter, movement; things that took too much energy.

"Shikamaru!" Ino's tone definitely indicating that Shikamaru was in trouble. He didn't bother even trying to figure out what he had done because he knew that she had no problem calling him out on it. It was like she thrived on proving to everyone that Shikamaru was just a normal stupid boy and not some genius. Shikamaru would've helped her do that but he didn't agree with the way she was going about it. He wanted to be just another stupid guy like anyone else. Being something else was just too troublesome.

"Hey Ino."

"Don't just 'Hey Ino' me. What the hell were you thinking? Letting those bandits burn down a village, what is wrong with you?" She was talking about the plan he created earlier. He thought it would be something more troublesome.

"This building is just a house but the people in it make it a home. The buildings that were destroyed are just buildings. The women, men, children and elderly people are the village. We protect them, not the buildings." That was an intelligent answer. He hoped that would keep Ino quiet for a while so that she didn't attack him. It seemed like it worked since Ino didn't say anything. For once, the blonde was silent.

"Kurenai-sensei." Choji was always happy to see her. She was always happy to see him in return. If she could choose between who she wanted to keep between the two male best friends then she would probably choose Choji since he would let her get away with everything. He knew that Choji would protect her with his life but he also knew that Choji couldn't protect her from herself.

"Hi Choji." He gave her a side hug in order to avoid her very prominent belly.

"How are you doing?"

"I'm great. You should keep your best friend on a leash though. He keeps hounding me." Kurenai sent a sly smile towards Shikamaru before turning back to the chubby ninja.

"I'm going to go put your bag in the room." Shikamaru announced then quickly made his way to the guest room that Kurenai often used when she slept here. Normally she would use one of the rooms upstairs but his mother refused to let her go up any stairs while she was pregnant so she had to sleep in one of the rooms downstairs. It was probably for the best so Shikamaru didn't fight it.  
He could smell the delicious food being prepared in the kitchen with every slight movement of wind blowing through the house. He had to admit that he was a little excited for dinner now; more the eating part than the conversational part. He set the bag on the bed then exited the room trying to psyche himself up for tonight but failed miserably.

"Shikamaru, it's good to see you again." Ino's mother was always so nice to him. He always wondered why Ino was so bossy then. She was nearly the complete opposite of her mother. Granted, he didn't know how Ino's mother acted around Ino when they were alone at home but he knew her mother well enough to know that she was a good and kind-hearted woman. Maybe Ino got her personality from her father but Shikamaru couldn't see a lot of similarities. He knew that Ino's father was stern when it came to his work and on the battlefield but when he was at home then he would make awkward jokes especially around him and Choji. Choji would laugh along with him but Shikamaru would just smile so that he didn't seem impolite. Ino definitely was something else. Maybe her bossy personality was just a façade to hide a pure innocent little girl that he knew Ino could be. Maybe not the pure part that much or the innocent part for that matter but he knew that Ino had a caring side to her that she hardly ever showed. Her mother on the other hand didn't mind showing it.

"Good evening everyone." Shikamaru greeted the women in the kitchen. Kurenai was sitting by the table next to his mother who was chopping different coloured pepper while Choji and Ino's mother were busy cooking food on the stoves.

"How did it go with Kakashi?" Yoshino asked him. He could hear that his mother was sincere when she asked her question.

"It went good. Lady Tsunade explained my role there and I helped Kakashi with a mission that is currently taking place." Yoshino raised her eyebrow when she heard that. She probably wasn't expecting him to be helping the hokage so soon.

"Was the mission successful?" Kurenai also seemed intrigued by this now. Why didn't he bring this up when she kept probing him about Sakura? Would she have been intrigued by this then or was she dead set on getting information about Sakura out of him?

"It was the best outcome that we could've hoped for considering the resources we had. There was a group of more than fifty bandits attacking a village close to the border. There were only twenty men that were able to fight but eight of them died unfortunately. They killed a couple of the bandits before they retreated." Hearing that actually made him a little proud. The odds were stacked against them 2-5 but they managed to win.

"What about the women and children of that village? Are they okay?" Choji's mother also engaged in the conversation now.

"They're fine. I had Ino tell the villagers that couldn't fight to escape when the battle started. When the fighting finished then they returned to the village unharmed." Even more good news.

"You're just like your father." Why did that comment unsettle him? He knew Choji's mother didn't mean anything bad by it but it still sent a wave of emotions crashing down on him.  
All his laugh he was being compared to his father. Everyone wanted him to be like his father but he never wanted that. He never wanted any of this. Sometimes he wished that he was born into a family that wasn't ninja's. He just wanted to be a normal boy that went to school and after school he would study to be botanist and veterinarian so that he could look after his family's forest and the creatures living in the forest. Then he would have no problem living up to his father's legacy.  
But instead, he was born into a family of exceptional shinobi. His mother was one of the leaders of the 'mothers force' or whatever they called themselves. His father was regarded as the smartest man in the village after Lord Third died. His father wasn't just the head of his family but the head of the clan. His clan was the most intelligent in the entire village. His father was the Jounin Commander, head strategist, advisor to the hokage at times; this list just goes on when it came to his clan's and his family's achievements. Everyone looked to Shikamaru to be like his father now; to lead like his father did, to fight like his father fought, to plan like his father planned. It was just too troublesome.

"True. My husband and Shikaku always wanted to make sure that the women and children didn't have to enter the fight. We were women are not some fragile objects you know." Ino's mother was extremely passionate about furthering the status of women in the village. Maybe that's where Ino got some of her passion, albeit passion for the wrong things.

"Exactly. We can look after ourselves. Look at how Lady Tsunade rebuilt the village after Pein destroyed it." His mother always loved to jump aboard a project she believed in so there was no way she wasn't going to stay out of this one.

"On the other hand; under the rule of male Hokage's, the village was never completely destroyed like it was under Lady Tsunade's rule, a female Hokage." Why the hell Shikamaru would say that in a kitchen full of women was beyond anyone. Every single women in that kitchen stared at him like he was the enemy. He could see them imagining how they would kill him with the objects around him which were extremely dangerous on their own. Hell, he was pretty sure all they needed to kill him right now were the things in their hands; Choji's mother had a pot, Ino's mother had a pan, Kurenai didn't need anything since she had her genjutsu, his mother had a knife. He really should've thought that one through. For a genius, he really was stupid.  
"I think I should go lay the table." He nervously said as he scratched the back of his head.

"You're lucky I'm not burying this knife in you right now." He wouldn't put it past his mother to do so. He knew first hand how scary his mother could be. He took that as his cue to leave the kitchen and put some distance between him and the women in the kitchen right now. He went to the wooden dining table on one side of the lounge where Ino and Choji were relaxing on the couch.

"What are you doing Shikamaru?" Ino asked him. He would've asked him to help him but he knew full well that she would somehow end up giving him more work to do.

"I'm laying the table for dinner. You guys look relaxed."

"We have work to do tomorrow so we're reserving our energy like you do every day." Ino was clearly trying to challenge him since he completely shut her down when he entered the house. Troublesome women.

"What work are you doing tomorrow Cho?" He knew that Ino basically took over her father's job so she always had work to do but Choji was only a shinobi so unless he had a mission then he wouldn't have any work to do.

"Going to the village that was attacked earlier. Kakashi-sensei wants me to help protect them for a couple of days until construction of the village is completed." He couldn't think of a more perfect mission for Choji. His kind-hearted friend would just at the opportunity to save or protect a village rather than kill another ninja. The only time he ever saw Choji hate someone was when Hidan killed Asuma but even then he was still in control of his emotions. He hated killing and Shikamaru admired that quality in him.

"I will be keeping you and Kakashi-sensei up to date about their progress among other things tomorrow." Ino was the like the bridge that connected Choji and Shikamaru. She didn't like killing either but she didn't hate it. If she really needed to kill another person then she would do it. Shikamaru was different from them. If the mission was to kill someone then he would do it, it's as simple as that. Whatever the mission said had to be done then he would do it. He was a shinobi so that was his duty. Choji and Ino would first try and find out why that person needed to be killed but Shikamaru knew that they were sent to kill that person for a reason. The hokage wouldn't hand out assassination missions without careful consideration; that's how he reasoned it but basically he was too lazy to challenge the Hokage's decision.

"I guess I am your boss then." He knew that quick quip would cause a reaction from her. The only time she would ever recognise Shikamaru as a leader was if they went on a mission. She would give him all her attention and trust that he creates the best plan for them. Most of the time she ends up deviating from the plan but he always created a separate plan that allowed her to do whatever she wanted to do leaving him and Choji to clean up after her. He never told her about that plan but she always knew it was there.

"Kakashi is the boss. You work for him just like we do." Ino was correct but that wasn't how anyone else would see it. She would be reporting to Shikamaru if Kakashi was busy. Shikamaru would be advising Kakashi on different plans if not planning and carrying out a mission himself. He was basically the Hokage's replacement if he was unavailable.

"So you're saying that I won't be able to send you on missions that I see fit?" He was challenging her now and he knew that he would corner her soon.

"Kakashi won't allow you to abuse your power like that."

"So I do have the power to send you on missions then."

"Whatever." Checkmate. He couldn't help but laugh as Ino grunted in frustration. "You guys are stupid."

"What did I do?" Choji asked her.

"Nothing Cho. She's just bitter 'cause she knows she's wrong."

"Oh." He loved Choji but sometimes he couldn't help but wish that his friend would keep at least one ear focused on the things around him when he wasn't on a mission.

"Just shut up." Ino really was frustrated. He felt a little bad but he knew that she wasn't going to stay that way forever. Suddenly a knock on the door drew their attention. He knew that Ino wasn't going to stand up and go answer it after Shikamaru defeated her and Choji never answered the door except when he was at his own house. He sauntered over to the door then opened it revealing the Haruno family.  
His eyes automatically landed the young kunoichi standing next to her father. He immediately remembered the last encounter they had with each other; the two of them lying in her bed this morning. He found himself wishing he had more time to do that with her. He really wanted to feel her in his arms again and feel her arms wrapped around his body. He wanted her sweet scent to fill his senses and wanted her breaths travelling over his bare skin. He wanted her.

"Good evening Shikamaru." Mebuki happily greeted him as she carried an elegant pot in her hands.

"Good evening Mr and Mrs Haruno." He gave them a bow then straightened up and stood next to the door allowing them entry. "Please come in." Sakura's mother gave him a smile as she walked past him while Sakura silently followed her. Shikamaru noticed her cheeks reddening up a bit but then she was out of sight.

"Shikamaru." Kizashi put his hands on Shikamaru's shoulders as he stood in front of the young ninja. "How are you doing son?" Shikamaru wasn't particularly afraid of the man standing in front of him but he was a ninja even if he was just a genin.

"I'm good sir. How are you?"

"Well 'Good', I'm better." The famous 'dad jokes'. Didn't take Kizashi long to start them. He laughed when he said that then lightly hit Shikamaru's arm as he walked past him. Shikamaru politely returned the laugh as well before closing the door and following behind his guests.

"Looks like your girlfriend is here Shikamaru." He immediately wished Ino was invisible. Why would she say that when Sakura's parents were in the room with them? What is wrong with her? She couldn't still be upset about losing their conversation.  
His emotions then went from anger towards Ino to fear for Sakura's parents. He didn't know how they would react to that statement. He knew that they were a pretty tight family and they loved each other so if Sakura was going to have a boyfriend of any kind then she would have to make sure that both her parents liked him but there was always that possibility of her parents not liking the boy. If there was any chance of Sakura and Shikamaru ever being together then Ino just made that chance nearly impossible.

"Girlfriend?" Kizashi asked. If Shikamaru wasn't afraid yet then he should be contemplating running away by now. Even if he wasn't in a relationship with Sakura, Kizashi was still her father and she was still his little girl.


	7. Chapter 7

**HEY GUYS AND GIRLS. HERE'S ANOTHER CHAPTER THAT I AM JUST SNEAKING IN. I'M SUPPOSED TO BE DOING MY ASSIGNMENTS BUT YOU GUYS AND GIRLS ARE WORTH SKIPPING WORK FOR. HOPE YOU ARE LIKING IT SO FAR. THANKS FOR THE FAVOURITES AND FOLLOWS EVERYONE. YOU ROCK!**

 **HAPPY READING:)**

"Everyone, the food is ready!" Yoshino announced as she put the last pot of food on the table. Shikamaru, Ino, Choji and Sakura sat in the lounge where Shikamaru started a fire in the cosy fireplace. The temperature dropped very quickly tonight and Shikamaru immediately hated it because it could only mean one thing; rain.

"Where are our husbands?" Mebuki looked around as she entered the room next Choji's mother. All the older females congregated in the kitchen even though the food was already prepared and all they needed to do was heat it up and make some final 'adjustments' to it. He didn't know where Choza and Kizashi were though. They weren't in the house or else Shikamaru would've seen them and they weren't in front of the house sitting on the wooden porch.

"Choza, the food is ready!" Shikamaru was pretty sure that the neighbours could hear that. Choji's mother had one loud and definitely terrifying voice. The four young ninja stood up as well then made their way to the table where their mothers were settling.

"Shikamaru, could you fetch the gravy sauce on the counter please?" He knew that his mother wasn't going to give him an option even if that was a question. He didn't need to anger her even more especially after the comment he made in the kitchen earlier. He obediently made his way into the cluttered kitchen. He knew that somehow he would end up cleaning it.  
He heard the door connecting the kitchen and the backyard opening then saw the two fathers entering the kitchen laughing while continuing their way to the dining table. He was grateful that they didn't pay any attention to him because he really didn't want to face Sakura's father right now. He narrowly escaped Kizashi earlier when Ino made a joke about Sakura being his girlfriend but he could sense that Kizashi knew that there might be something happening between his daughter and him. He decided to ignore it and grabbed the gravy sauce before heading back to the dining table.

"Thank you Shikamaru." His mother was definitely planning something which scared the hell out of him. He handed the gravy to his mother then made his way to the empty seat between Choji and Sakura. He could see Ino smirking on the other side of Sakura so he knew that she purposefully left that seat open for him. He sighed then decided to sit down. He didn't want to make a scene and it wasn't like sitting next to Sakura would immediately indicate that they were a romantic couple.  
"Dig in everyone." That was the invitation he knew Choji was waiting for. He was basically salivating while looking at the food laid out on the table but no one could blame him. It definitely was a feast. There was beef stew, crispy chicken pie, barbecued meat, grilled steak; everything that could make him happy and make Choji feel like he was in heaven. He barely glanced over at the various salads placed in between the food but that definitely wasn't the top of his list of foods right now.

"Everything looks perfect ladies." Kurenai commented. He immediately got concern. He definitely was going to eat until he couldn't anymore but he knew that Kurenai couldn't do that. She had to be mindful of her child. He was definitely going to be keeping one eye on her.

"I couldn't agree there more." Choza agreed as they began dishing them some food. Shikamaru decided to wait until their parents were finished dishing their food before he would start dishing his own. He could see that Sakura had the same idea. He turned to her for a moment and smiled as she had a reluctant smile on her face as well.  
Lady Tsunade's words played over in his head again. This was the second thing that she warned him about; relationships. For some reason Lady Tsunade specifically warned him about getting into a relationship with her pink haired student. Lady Tsunade is Sakura's role model, guardian, teacher and almost like a second mother so it is only natural for her to be concerned about the young kunoichi but the way Lady Tsunade spoke about Sakura was as if she was the forbidden fruit in the biblical garden. He knew that Sakura had an 'evil' side but he hasn't met a girl who didn't have one so that couldn't be why Lady Tsunade warned him about her. Maybe it was because of her rapidly growing fame. Was she scared that being in a relationship with Shikamaru could lead to her student's fame or success dropping? Absurd but not impossible.  
Whatever the reason is, he wanted to find out because he finally accepted that he wanted to be with her. She clearly didn't feel the same about him but he didn't care, his mind was finally at ease. He knew that he would end up hurt but what was new? The world was against him from the beginning. He didn't have it as worse as Naruto or Sasuke but right now he was sure that they were happier than he was.

"I know you're lazy but the food isn't going to walk onto your plate you know." There was her angelic voice. Her tone was playful yet challenging but he loved it.

"I was lost in my own thoughts for a moment." He began dishing up some food hoping that he didn't look like an idiot for zoning out. He refused to make eye contact with anyone and just continued. He was grateful when he heard his mother start a light-hearted conversation with the rest of the parents around the table. At least they wouldn't be paying attention to him.

"You need some vegetables as well. You're still sick." He reluctantly turned to face the girl sitting beside him. His blank expression was met with an equally stubborn expression on her face.

"You're not my mother you know." He was pretty sure that he was going to pay for saying that but it just felt like the right thing to say.

"I'm your doctor."

"Fine. Can you pass that bowl?" He motioned to the Greek salad. He didn't really like it but it wasn't the worst salad he could ask for and it was colourful enough so he was sure Sakura wouldn't have a problem with it.

"I'll dish it. I'm pretty sure you won't dish the amount you need." She really was out to get him for that comment now.

"I can do it myself."

"I didn't say you couldn't."

"I won't dish a little. I'm not going to dish a mountain like you have though. Do you even eat meat?"

"I was getting there." She immediately brought his plate closer to her so he quickly took her plate as well. "What are you doing?"

"Dishing you meat. Let's see if you can eat meat."

"This is not some competition. I am doing this so that you can recover quicker."

"I am pretty sure that you healed me perfectly yesterday unless there is a doctor that is better than you." This was escalating much quicker than it needed to. He was pretty sure that she wasn't going to back down any time soon but at least he enjoyed this verbal battle they seemed to be having.

"There is Lady Tsunade."

"She hates modesty so I don't think that you should say that she's better than you unless you suddenly want a mountain dropped on you."

"I wouldn't put it past her. Once she threw a huge boulder at me and told me that I should catch it." He couldn't help but release a smile at that. He knew first hand how scary Lady Tsunade could be so he certainly admired Sakura for being able to be her student.

"I'm pretty sure that she's borderline psychotic."

"Nope, she's definitely psychotic."

"Explains why the two of you got along so well." He couldn't resist taking that jab at her as they gave each other their plates again. She smirked at that comment so he knew that she was enjoying their conversation as well.

"We saved a lot of people as well while you and Asuma were lazing around playing shogi."

"It's much more appropriate to say that Asuma was suffering shogi rather than playing it. He couldn't beat me even if he tried."

"I guess you were suffering with your father then."

"That's probably the reason why he never taught me how to play. He knew that if he did then I would defeat him just like I did with Asuma. I gave him a run for his money though."

"I didn't exactly let Lady Tsunade walk over me as well."

"Looks like we were suckers for punishment then."

"Paid off in the end didn't it?"

"Definitely did." He looked at her once again but this time both of them had a genuine smile on formed on their faces. He could see that she was unquestionably happy at that moment. Their verbal battle that turned into a friendly conversation of appreciation for their teachers brought up her joyful emotions which made him happier as well.

"If you guys need the room then just say so." Trust Ino to ruin such a beautiful moment. He finally tuned into everything else happening around the table. Everyone was quietly eating while watching them. They were clearly more interested in listening to the two young ninja than any conversation they could possibly have. He turned to Sakura who began eating to try and hide her embarrassment that was clearly evident on her cheeks. She motioned for him to start eating as well so he obediently followed her lead.  
They silently began eating their dinner as their parents began talking again. They received a few inquisitive looks while they ate but they ignored it. They stole a few glances at each other as well but Shikamaru decided to not to talk to her again which was probably for the best. Ino on the other hand had no problem trying to get Shikamaru and Sakura to talk again but he just deflected the question to Choji who gave short answers so that he could continue eating. He could see that it frustrated Ino so he did it was a smirking smile on his face.  
Once everyone finished eating, Yoshino made a pot tea and brought out the dango she made earlier. Shikamaru was curious to taste it since this was his mother's first attempt. He grabbed a stick of dango and popped one into his mouth. The dango itself was boldly sweet but it was complimented by the simple yet elegant taste of the sauce spread over it. The dango was definitely prepared by his mother but he knew that she couldn't have prepared the sauce for it.

"This dango is great Yoshino." Kizashi happily announced.

"I can't take all the credit for it. Your daughter helped me." So Sakura is the one that made the sauce. She really was surprising him in a good way. Why Lady Tsunade warned him about entering into a relationship with the medic ninja was becoming more and more confusing by the second. He found himself staring at her with a simple smile plaguing his face so he quickly snapped out of it and drained his cup of green tea. Perfect combination.  
"How was dinner Shikamaru?" His mother definitely was testing him now. She hasn't asked him that question since he became a chunin so she was definitely planning something.

"It was great." He was too nervous to lie. Lady Tsunade was scary as hell but his mother was still at the top of his list of scariest women.

"Even though it was prepared by females?" He immediately knew what his mother was trying to do. She was getting payback for the remark he made earlier. He had to think twice before he replied but everything that popped up in his panicked head right now ended up being bad for Shikamaru.

"Females are the best cooks." That was a safe reply right?

"Are you trying to say that females belong in the kitchen?" Damn Kurenai always trying to make things worse for him. She had a reason to though. He irritated her with the regular check ups every day and making sure that she took her medication and went to the doctor regularly. She was clearly team female and wasn't planning on helping him.

"Now you're just putting words in my mouth." He looked around the table to see if any of the guys would help him but he didn't see any willing expressions. Choza had a smile plastered on his face but Shikamaru knew that it was his defence so that no one bothered him. Seemed like too much work. Kizashi and Choji just looked dumbstruck. They didn't know what was going on and he didn't expect them to know. They weren't around to hear his earlier remark so they didn't know why he was being attacked.

"It's not about putting words in your mouth but rather about what your remark is intending to say." Choji's mother destroyed him with her reply. He didn't have any attack anymore. The only thing he could do was control the damage.

"It's difficult to prove intention."

"I can help with that." Ino didn't need an invitation to help take the lazy ninja down. She needed the victory over the lazy ninja.

"I praised females. Why am I being interrogated for it?"

"You know why. You brought this on yourself." Ino's mother joining in the battle. He desperately needed an escape.

"I merely stated a fact earlier. Was I wrong?" If he couldn't get them to calm down then he would try to get them frustrated so that they can defeat themselves.

"If you are singling out one bad event during someone's reign then are you saying that you are perfect?" His mother was clearly a seasoned ninja. There was no way he was going to win her especially if she was the only person who could defeat his father.

"I'm far from perfect. I just compared a single event to multiple reigns during this village's existence." He wasn't backing down and he knew that they weren't going to either. He hoped that someone put an end to this quickly.

"What did Shikamaru say?" Yes, maybe Mebuki would help him out.

"He thinks that male Hokages are better than female ones because the village was destroyed when Lady Tsunade was the Hokage." His mother certainly had a knack for digging a deeper hole for her son.

"I do not think that. I think the exact opposite actually. Thanks to Lady Tsunade we have much better relationships with not one but all four of the other great nations. We have an increase in economic activity not mention the time of peace that was created during her rule which we are still living in. The other Hokages before her were working in different and more hostile times and made the best of what they had but the only Hokage I think that did a better job than Lady Tsunade was her grandfather, the first Hokage. Before you say that I am being sexist again by saying that a male Hokage was better than lady Tsunade, there are no other female Hokage to compare Lady Tsunade to." Damn, even he was surprised that he said that. They managed to break him but for some reason they didn't have a smile of triumph parading on their faces but rather a look of admiration.

"Couldn't have said it better Shikamaru." Kizashi said as he nodded.

"The future is looking more prosperous by the day." Choza added. He didn't know how to respond. He respected both men seated by the table and their praises were definitely a relief to his ears. He gave them a smile and an accepting nod as well.

"It definitely is." Choji's mother agreed as she looked at her husband and smiled.

"But first they have to do the dishes before they can create a better future." He was waiting for his mother to give him his punishment but he didn't think that all four of them would have to suffer. Many hands create light work, at least he hoped so.

"What are you guys waiting for?" He could definitely see where Sakura got her sense of authority. Her father might have been seen as the head of the household but her mother definitely ruled it.  
He could hear Ino groaning as they stood up. He knew she hated washing the dishes but there was nothing she could do about it now. Shikamaru and Choji gathered the empty cups and plates that were still on the table before going into the kitchen.

"How do they expect us to clean all this?" Ino complained.

"Quickly." Yoshino appeared in the room startling them. She went to one of the top cupboards and took out a tray of wine glasses then swiftly exited the room.

"Looks like they are going to be drinking while we are stuck here cleaning up."

"Shut up already Ino. Let's just get on with it." He immediately knew that this was going to be a drag. If Ino and Sakura were going to go at each other then he and Choji might as well exit the room and let them fight it out so that they can clean the kitchen one time.

"I agree. The sooner we do it, the sooner we complete it." He hoped that they would stop their fighting now.

"Just because you two are sleeping together doesn't mean that you can team up against me." Even when Ino was angry, she was still out to get information. She was definitely something else.  
"Choji, back me up here."

"I agree with Shikamaru and Sakura; we should just do it." At least Choji had more sense than their blonde teammate.

"All of you guys suck. I am done with all of you." No matter how old Ino was getting, he didn't think she would ever get tired of throwing tantrums and fits like these. He selfishly hoped that she never outgrew it. It was who she was and who Shikamaru loved. Despite her bossy and extremely inquisitive nature, he knew who she truly was. He loved every part of her even if he didn't show it. He didn't need to, they were basically family.

"You and Choji can dry the things while Sakura and I wash them." He gave them the plan but he knew that Ino would have questions.

"Why don't you and Choji wash and Sakura and I dry?" There it was.

"Sakura doesn't know where the things go. You and Choji know where everything goes so it will be faster this way." You couldn't argue with his logic there but he knew that somehow Ino would.

"Choji and Sakura can wash then you and I can dry." Why did she want to change the minor details? What did it matter if Choji washed the things instead of him? She was just too troublesome.

"Give it a rest Ino." Sakura rolled her eyes at her best friend and Ino responded with a look that basically said 'whatever'. He could never understand their relationship. He could never understand any other female relationship either. Hell, he didn't understand females period.

"Let's begin guys." Choji happily told them.

"We should really do this more often. We hardly get to hang out like this anymore." Ino's mother was never one to shy away from having a good time with friends. She definitely passed that on to her daughter.

"I agree. Remember that time when the four of us had a picnic by the lake." Choji's mother definitely still wanted to talk more and they happily obliged. Despite the four ladies standing around the doorway and their husbands waiting behind them talking up a storm; none of them looked like they were ready to go home any time this century. It was a few minutes past midnight and the moon hung proudly in the sky but was covered by a thick blanket of clouds giving rise to the colder air wrapping around them.

"I think we should just spend the night here." Choji was definitely irritated by this point. His parents said that they were leaving an hour ago yet they still found themselves in the Nara house with no intention of leaving just yet.

"I think you're right." He had to agree with his best friend on this one. There was no way they were going home right now.

"Kurenai is already sleeping so we should follow her lead." He agreed with Ino as well. He was pretty sure that if they took a nap right now and woke up, their parents would still be talking.

"Does that include getting pregnant?" Here we go again. Why couldn't Sakura and Ino just have a normal conversation without trying to get one up on each other? Yes they were rivals but they were also best friends. He and Choji weren't trying to outdo each other and they were best friends. Maybe it was because they weren't rivals.

"Did Shikamaru knock you up already?" Ino was definitely ready for a fight. It was the middle of the night yet the two of them seemed to have the world of energy to continue this fight.

"I thought one of the boys around the village finally managed to get you knocked up."

"Screw you."

"I would tell you the same but I am pretty sure the whole village has already." That one had to hurt. He never thought Sakura would go that far. He knew Ino had a reputation but he knew that she was mostly talk and no action. Hell, she was probably still a virgin for all he knew.

"At least I don't scare them out of the village like you do." He had no idea what was going on right now. Were they fighting? Was this just a verbal battle? What the fuck was happening between them right now?

"Slut."

"Bitch."

"Pig."

"Forehead."

"Enough already." Shikamaru couldn't take it anymore. They were irritating him more than their parents were. "You girls are such a drag."

"Shut up Shikamaru. I've had enough of your whining ass tonight." If Ino wasn't a sister to him then he would've probably thrown an insult at her like Sakura did. How they were best friends was beyond anyone's reason.

"Whatever. Troublesome woman." Their fighting immediately ended with that. Why didn't he think of that sooner? Maybe his brain was just as tired as his body right now.

"I don't know why I am waiting here. It's not like I'm going home with my parents." Sakura did have a point there. Even if she did want to go home now, the doorway was blocked by their parents.

"You should walk her home Shikamaru." Choji, always looking out for people's safety. It annoyed Shikamaru but he knew his friend just wanted to make sure that Sakura would be okay. Sometimes he wished that Choji could be just as lazy as he was.

"Sakura is strong enough to protect herself. She doesn't need a man to protect her." Maybe he could talk Choji out of not letting him go.

"Choji is right. It's the right thing to do. A host should always make sure that their guests make their way back to their homes safely." Ino wasn't going to let him get out of this one. Defeating Choji alone when it came to things like these was difficult enough but defeating Choji and Ino was basically impossible.

"Then shouldn't I be walking home with everyone?" A stupid argument but he wasn't entirely wrong.

"Sakura is the only one who will be travelling alone." Choji shut him down.

"She lives in the opposite direction that we will be walking in so she can't come with us." Ino put the final nail in his troublesome coffin.

"Fine." Shikamaru gave in.

"Are you guys ready to leave?" Ino's mother asked them.

"We were waiting on you guys all the time. Let's get going already." Ino definitely wasn't afraid of taking her frustration out on her mother. If only Kurenai could see this mother-daughter relationship right now.

"Mom, I'm going to walk with Sakura to her apartment." Shikamaru told his mother as they followed behind everyone else leaving the house.

"Okay." His mother gave him an approving nod as she exited the house to stand on the porch and see her guests off.

"I will see you tomorrow." Sakura told her parents when they exited the Nara Clan compound. They were heading in the opposite direction now so they had to say their goodbyes.

"Make sure that she gets home safely Shikamaru." Kizashi definitely wasn't playing around or making any joke when he spoke now. It sent a shiver of fear down Shikamaru's back before he regained his senses.

"I will sir." He obediently shook her father's hand then gave her mother a hug. Sakura and Shikamaru then greeted everyone and he was surprised to see Sakura and Ino greet each other so friendly despite whatever that was that happened a few minutes ago. Their relationship was definitely inexplicable. He then took off on their journey down the empty dusty streets of Konoha. The only that greeted them on their way was the cold wind that swept through the streets. Definitely was looking like rain.

"If I knew you were going to be quiet the entire time then I would've insisted that you stayed at home. It's basically like I am walking by myself here." Her tone was purely playful for once. She didn't have any challenge waiting around a corner for him or a surprise attack ready to spring out on top of him.

"I'm just a little tired. Had a weirdly long day."

"Technically it's a new day right now."

"Hopefully a less tiring one."

"You might still be sick. I am sure I can get Kakashi-sensei to give you the day off."

"You don't need to. I'm basically planning on getting Shizune to decorate my office for me then catching up on everything that happened since the war. Only boring admin work tomorrow I suppose."

"Where is your office?"

"The room opposite Kakashi's office."

"The storage room?"

"It's an office now. I like it. It's feels like my own personal world inside it."

"I'll have to come check it out then. Maybe I can use it to hide out when I don't feel like working. I am pretty sure that you won't be anyway." There it was. A playful jab but it wasn't all that false.

"As long as you don't disturb my sleeping then you can use it as much as you want." Their silent laughter echoed through the muted night. The streets were lit just enough to light their path so they could see if anyone was around in case they were being sucked in to each other's company too much. A slight rush of wind brushed past them immediately freezing them. He could see that Sakura was getting a much colder since the clothes she was wearing wasn't exactly warm enough for this weather. She had a jacket on but it wasn't exactly winter-worthy clothing. He immediately cursed himself as his softer side caved in. He unzipped his tick sleeveless hoodie then handed it to her.

"Don't be an idiot. You need it more than I do." She definitely was stubborn but he wasn't going to give in.

"True but I am not putting it back on. Don't make me put it on you." He didn't feel in the mood for a fight. He was definitely getting cold but he survived worse conditions with less clothing.

"Don't make me put it back on you." Her threat didn't scare him that much. He knew that he this might be inviting the flu back but he didn't want her to get sick either. If it came down to it; the village needed the superstar doctor more than it needed the lazy genius.

"Have it your way." He sighed but his shadows immediately latched onto hers next to him. It took a lot of energy to activate the jutsu without any hand signs but that took too much work for him right now.

"Let me go Shikamaru." Now he was a little scared of her. He knew she would probably punch the living daylights out of him when he finished but all he cared about was getting his hoodie onto her frozen body right now. He worked quickly because he could feel her fighting against the jutsu and he knew that he couldn't over power her for long. In a minute he managed to get the clothing on her with the hood drawn over her head only revealing her glorious face. He released her from her frozen prison and readied himself for a punch but nothing happened for a few moments. She adjusted the hoodie to make her more comfortable then surprisingly hooked her arm around the stunned Nara.  
"You're still an idiot but thanks." She tried to hide her grateful expression from him but it was impossible.

"Don't mention it." He was thankful that she walked right next to him hugging his arm so that he could feel some form of heat again. He was a little taller than her as they walked next to each other (more than a little I suppose, her forehead reached his lips perfectly) but they seemed to fit perfectly like two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Her sweet, flowering scent innocently made their way to him and he loved every part of it. Ino once told him that he had a deep earthy type of smell to him so he wondered if Sakura could smell it or if she even liked it.  
Suddenly he felt her body tense up a little and that immediately put his senses on alert. He stopped them and instantly scanned the area for any possible attack or any sign of an enemy but he didn't find anything. He then turned his attention to the pink haired girl standing next to him.  
"Sakura, you okay?" He looked into her eyes but he could see that she wasn't focused on him right now despite her looking directly at him.

"Yeah." There she was. He could see that she was focused again. "I just got a quick shiver." That was a little odd. If she was shivering then Shikamaru should be freezing right now. Was she lying to him? Maybe it really was just a random shiver. She was a doctor so she could certainly tell him about more than a few medical conditions that would create a spontaneous shiver and he didn't have any reason to doubt her so he would just take her word for it.

"Let's get you home then." He got them walking again but this time they walked slightly faster than they were going before. Sakura was completely silent throughout the rest of the trip but that gave him time to address his own thoughts in his head; thoughts about keeping her safe and warm in his arms like he did the previous morning.

"Thanks for walking me home Shikamaru." Sakura told him when they stopped in front of her apartment. He was grateful that they made it back here without any awkwardness or incidences because he didn't want any more complications right now.

"It was my pleasure. Just make sure that you get yourself warm enough inside." His concern for her was genuine and he wanted to make sure that she was going to be okay.

"I will." She unhooked her arm from his and he immediately missed her warmth but suddenly she stood in front of him and he felt himself being drawn into her glorious gaze. His hand moved her pink bangs behind her ear as the other one gently lifted her chin up. Their noses gently brushed over each other as their breaths danced between the increasingly small spaces between their lips.  
Then it happened. The sudden blissful impact of their lips moving against one another. Her hands found their way over his but suddenly he felt her body tense up again. She moved away from him breaking their short sweet kiss.

"I'm sorry about that." He quickly apologised as he released her.

"No. I am sorry. I just have to go. I promised Naruto that I would help him with his studying and then this popped up. Knowing him, he is probably still waiting for me." She quickly rattled off as she backed away.  
"Goodnight Shikamaru. Sorry again about this."

"Yeah, goodnight." He replied but she was already jumping from roof to roof in the direction of Naruto's apartment. There was definitely something going on with Sakura.  
He was left standing in the middle of street; dumbstruck and broken hearted. He cursed himself for falling for her. Once again he was found wanting a girl that didn't want him. He got suckered again. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice...  
On cue, the heavens opened up. They released the raindrops that his eyes refused to release. Stupid. How could he possibly be called a genius when he fell for the same trick twice? How could he move on now?


	8. Chapter 8

**HEY GUYS AND GIRLS. THIS CHAPTER TOOK QUICKER THAN I THOUGHT IT WOULD (PROBABLY BECAUSE IT'S WORSE THAN THE OTHER CHAPTERS, NOT THAT THEY ARE THAT GOOD ANYWAY). I'M JUST ANOTHER STUPID GUY SO THANKS FOR SUPPORTING ME. YOU'RE PROBABLY DOING IT OUT OF PITY BUT I PROMISE I WILL TRY AND GET BETTER. I HOPE YOU GUYS AND GIRLS DONT HATE ME.**

 **HAPPY READING:)**

You know that feeling where you don't want to feel anymore? That constant painless rush of pain driving you crazier by the second. The torture of your mind repeating the same thoughts over and over making you contemplate banging your head against the wall. That didn't describe half of what he was feeling right now.  
Heartbreak, his long forgotten friend. Pain, his ungrateful neighbour. Anger, his unrivalled enemy. Why did they have to come back to him all at once? What did he do to deserve them? Oh yes, he knew exactly what; more specifically who.  
The pink haired blossom of a bomb that devastated his world. The superstar doctor that killed his chance of happiness. His minds constant source of comfort now turned into his hearts reason for aching. His solemn vow to never fall for anyone again broken by the spell of the medic ninja who went on to prove that happiness was never his in the first place. He had to accept it now; happiness was not meant for everyone, especially not him. It was just a stupid illusion we hypnotise ourselves into to make life seem more enjoyable. He didn't see how anyone could find life enjoyable. He didn't see how he ever could once again.

"Shikamaru! Breakfast!" His mother's voice came breaking through his thick cloud of thoughts swirling around in the chaotic realm he dared call his mind. He unenthusiastically got out of bed. The cold sting of the wooden floor beneath his bare feet brought a welcomed relief to his unrelenting thirst for a physical pain rather than the emotional rollercoaster of emotions that he couldn't seem to escape from. The sting went away as suddenly as it appeared but the cold wrapped around him like a suit of armour. The rain seemed to have stopped outside but the ominous clouds still hung proudly over the village. He let out a frustrated sigh before continuing on his way to the kitchen downstairs.

"... it's not like he suddenly got over it." Kurenai's voice sparked his idle memory again. He forgot that she slept over. With all the thoughts running through his head, he was surprised that he managed to hear his mother through it.

"It's a step in the right direction." There his mother's voice was again. Hopefully they weren't talking about him. He didn't need more work to do. Hell, the only thing he wanted to do at that moment was drop down on a soft bed of luscious green grass and let the sunlight burn everything away allowing him to drift into a peaceful slumber.

"Morning." He couldn't have given them a lazier greeting even if he tried. The two women silently watched as he lazily took a seat next to the genjutsu user by the table.

"Everything okay?" His mother could definitely sense that something was off about him today but he didn't want to talk about it.

"Yeah, just tired." That wasn't exactly a lie. When he eventually got home this morning, soaked in rain, he couldn't go sleep. Taking a hot shower didn't really help either. Looks like his habit of not being able to sleep returned with a re-energised attack.

"You did come home late this morning after you dropped Sakura at her apartment." Typical of his mother to stay up until he got home.

"Looks like you and Sakura had the after party by yourselves." He could tell that Kurenai didn't mean any harm by that but he felt his already shattered heart aching like its life depended on it. The wounds of last night still burnt fresh in his memory and it felt like it killed him all over again.

"I have to get going to work. I don't know what time I will be home." He stood up from his seat, putting his hands in his pockets as he began walking out of the room.

"You haven't eaten." His mother pointed out.

"I'll grab something on the way." He quickly escaped then made his way back up to his room so that he could dress him in his usual ninja attire. If he went on like any other day then it would just be any other day right?  
He left the house without uttering another word to anyone then threw his hands in his pockets and he made his way through the gloomy streets of the village. The mood around the village seemed to mirror the mood he was in; bitter, depressing, tired. He looked around at the villagers trying their best to set up their stalls knowing full well that they would need extra cover because of the expected rain. He admired their grit and determination to make today one of the best days they could have. If only he could have a small chunk of their hope but even hope seemed too far away for him right now.

"You're early Shikamaru." Shizune's spirits seemed unusually high. Maybe it is because he was going to be lightening her load or maybe she liked the cold weather. Tonton certainly didn't like it. The cute little creature tucked between her arms seemed to be looking a little down. If ever there was a better match for Shikamaru right now then it would definitely be Tonton.

"I was up so I thought I might as well get a head start on today." Not a complete lie but if she really knew Shikamaru then she would've known that he would never voluntarily want to work.

"That's good to hear. I look forward to working with you." Looks like she didn't know him as well as he thought she did. Maybe she just wanted to see the best in people. He never saw Shizune angry or upset so that could be true. The only time she showed any sign of aggression, outside of a mission of course, is when Lady Tsunade wanted to drink instead of work or when the former hokage was drunk.  
If he thought about it, this is exactly the last thing Lady Tsunade spoke to him about. Being advisor meant that he would have to make sure that he did what was best for the village and its people first. Always make sure that the village survives and comes out stronger than before. He shouldn't show any bias or make any emotional decisions; he didn't need to worry about doing that right now because emotions were something he wanted to ignore right now anyway. One thing he was going to find hard to do was separating the fact that his friends were the ones he was sending into battle. Normally he would be fighting alongside them so being the one at the headquarters giving them orders without seeing what was actually on the battlefield scared him. What if he gave the wrong instructions or created a plan that ended up killing his friends? How did his father do it so calmly? How did he keep his senses and still give the correct instructions?

"We should celebrate you starting your new position. Maybe throw a party for you and a couple of friends. We could..." He tuned out of the conversation like he would do with Ino when she began talking about something he didn't want to do. He just couldn't deal with all of Shizune's happiness right now. Definitely balanced the three of them. He had to be an emotionless tactician, Kakashi had to be the righteous leader having to make all the difficult decisions so Shizune balanced them out with all her positivity and de-stressing she brought. She was the anchor that reminded them that the world could still be a beautiful place despite all the chaos and fighting. She was the hope that shone through all the darkness.

"We could have a drink after work tonight." He suggested interrupting her. "It could get Kakashi out of the office for a while but we do have work to do tomorrow so we can't exactly party."

"I guess you're right. I will spread the word then. Hopefully everyone can be available tonight." She sounded a little less optimistic as she thought about it. They were nearing the hokage tower so he wanted this conversation to end and talk about something productive.

"It doesn't have to be tonight. It can be in a couple of days after I've settled in. That would give you more time to plan it as well."

"Yes. That we can do." Her optimism was back to normal again.

"Kakashi told me to talk to you about my office." That was something productive right? It definitely was more productive than planning a party.

"Oh yes, we put everything you wanted in your office and I added my personal touch to make it more comfortable."

"All I needed was shelves, a cupboard and possibly a couch."

"We added those too." He hoped her humour didn't mean more work for him. He had too much to deal with already; well not really but he planned on burying himself in work.

"Any changes happen last night that I should know about?"

"I don't know. After you left, I began redecorating your office then I made sure that Kakashi got home and had some sleep so I didn't get any updates. You know what they say, no news is good news." Her positivity was ruining his depressing mood.

"Hopefully." He agreed. They entered the warm building immediately replacing the cold blanket wrapped around him with a warmer one. Everything was uncharacteristically quiet which boggled him for a moment but he continued making his way towards Kakashi's office.

"Kakashi, we're coming in." Shizune announced then opened the door. The silver haired hokage sat behind his desk with mountains of paperwork on either side of him. His eyes looked like they were battling stay open. Shikamaru's eyes would've been doing the same if they weren't use to the normality of the lack of sleep.  
"Good morning." Shizune seemed to be the only one who enjoyed a great nights sleep.

"Morning." Kakashi definitely sounded as tired as he looked.

"How long have you been here?" Shizune was definitely the mother figure here.

"Couple of hours." He didn't look like he was lying.

"You two need more sleep and something to eat before you do any more work." Shizune told them.

"The village..."

"The village needs the two of you at full strength so stop working. I will be back soon so don't go anywhere." She quickly left the room leaving the two shinobi sighing in the room.

"Is she always like that?" Shikamaru asked.

"Yeah. Unlike Lady Tsunade, we actually seem to want to work." He knew Lady Tsunade didn't like all the paperwork and Shizune often had to resort to threatening the older kunoichi. He found it somewhat amusing watching the two of them when they had their battles.

"So all she has to worry about with us is that we work too much then."

"Definitely not something anyone would think we would be saying." They laughed a little at that. Both ninja were lazy in their own right but everyone trusted and respected their decisions.

"Do you have any update on the village that got attacked yesterday?"

"Nothing good. The bandits that Kiba, Akamaru and Lee were following led them into a trap. All three of them escaped with cuts and bruises. I'm sending Choji, Naruto and Hinata to go help them rebuild the village and protect them. I was wondering if you wanted to go with them. It's less than two hours away from the village if you hurry."

"Are you ordering me to go?"

"There's no need for you to go. I just thought you might want to get out of the village for a bit. You look a little worse for wear." That really surprised him. Despite Kakashi being tired and a looking a little defeated, the Hokage's eyes were as sharp as ever.

"I actually want to stay here and try to figure out who those group of bandits are and where they might be hiding out."

"I thought you might say that. I have other matters that need my attention so can I trust you to take care of that problem?"

"I will do my best. I will keep you updated on my progress."

"Gaara should be sending all the information he has on this group in a couple of days as well."

"If I may ask, why haven't the Kage reconvened after the war?" He didn't know if it was his place to question their decision so he hoped that he wasn't overstepping.

"We haven't really had the time to if I am being honest. We update each other regularly on the state of our respective villages so we know how each village is doing. I guess they just want to make sure that their villages are thriving after the war. Self preservation is the key to surviving." It made sense that the other Kage would want to ensure their respective villages' safety and thriving continuity so he didn't bother questioning their reason.

"I understand that but I am sure that you guys don't want another group like the Akatsuki to form and try to destroy the world. This group of bandits already attacked two villages in two different nations. Who's to say that there aren't even more powerful ninja ready to create a group like that?" He could see that this topic caught the interest of the mysterious hokage. He was definitely intrigued now.

"What do you propose?"

"The continuation of the Allied Shinobi Force. I haven't really thought about it much but it would stand for a united shinobi realm hopefully deterring anyone from trying to launch a full scaled attack creating another war."

"If you can come to me with a fully thought out plan then I could share it amongst the other Kage and hear their opinions about it." At least Kakashi didn't shoot the idea down completely. He knew he was creating more work for himself but this was worth it.

"I will get to work then."

"This is a lot of work you've gotten yourself into. Are you sure you're ready for it?"

"If you want to learn how to swim then get thrown into the deep end." For some reason he felt like he could sense Kakashi smiling under his mask. That inspired a confidence in him that only someone who believed in him could do.

"Good luck then Shikamaru." He gave the hokage an appreciative nod then turned around and made his way out of the office. He let out a sigh of relief once he was in the hallway then allowed fear to creep in as he stepped over to his office. His nerves got the best of him as he opened the door to his office. For someone who didn't want to feel anymore, he certainly had enough emotions running through him right now.  
The room he stepped into was certainly not the way it was yesterday. His desk and chair was still in the same position with work waiting for him so that was still the same but everything felt different. Two chairs were placed on the opposite side of his desk. There were two two-seater couches placed opposite each other with a glass coffee table between them. Two single couches were placed on the adjacent ends. There was a huge blue-green carpet placed on the floor so at least it was soft under and a little warmer if he was to walk barefeet. All the walls around the office was fitted with wooden shelves except the one behind his desk. That one had an elegant wooden cabinet with two cupboards on either side filling the walls. Plants were placed strategically around the room giving the room some colour he supposed but he liked it. It reminded him of the trees outside. His office didn't have a view like Kakashi's but he thought it looked much better than the Hokage's.  
He made his way over to his chair then planted himself down on it. He looked through the work he started yesterday and instantly got drawn back into it forgetting about everything that happened.

"Shikamaru, can I come in?" He recognised the soft, caring voice of his best friend outside the room.

"Come in." He responded. The door swung open and Choji immediately stepped into the room with two huge packets of his favourite beef flavoured chips.

"Good morning Shikamaru." No matter how Shikamaru was feeling, hearing Choji's joyful tone always seemed to put him in a better mood. Choji's father might have perfected the art of always having a smile plastered on his face but his son definitely mastered the art of bringing a smile to anyone else's face.

"Morning Cho." Shikamaru returned the greeting. He didn't have as much energy or joy in his voice like Choji did but the chubby ninja was used to it.

"Your office is awesome." Choji looked around the room as he made his way to the chairs on the opposite side of the desk.

"Shizune designed it so she should take all the credit." Shikamaru stopped what he was doing and relaxed in his chair as he focused all his attention on the ninja before him. They were basically brothers so Choji deserved all of Shikamaru's attention.

"She definitely knows her stuff." Choji handed him one of the packets of chips which he gratefully accepted. He ran out of the house before he could have breakfast so he definitely needed something to eat.  
"Your mom told me to make sure you ate something."

"I am pretty sure she meant something healthier." He released chuckle at that as Choji had a smile spread across his face. "Thanks."

"No problem." Choji was definitely pleased that he achieved his goal regardless of whether or not Shikamaru was going to eat the chips or not.

"Why were you by my house this morning?" It wasn't really surprising that Choji wanted to visit him or even visit his mother. Their homes were always opened to each other so they would never turn each other away. Ino might try to turn them away but her mother would never allow her to succeed. They were family despite not being blood related.

"You mentioned that you were going to work today so I thought we could walk together. I have a meeting with Kakashi-sensei soon so I am supposed to be here." That was thoughtful of him but then again Choji was always like that. Despite Shikamaru repeatedly telling Choji not to do things like that for him, Choji ignored him and did it anyway. It was like Choji needed to do it in order to survive.  
He remembered one time when they were younger and only starting out at the academy, Shikamaru got into trouble for standing up to some bullies at the academy who kept harassing Choji about his weight. Shikamaru had enough of listening to their irritating little voices so Shikamaru punched one of the boys jaws sending a tooth of his barrelling out of the bully's mouth. Iruka-sensei saw the whole thing so Shikamaru obviously got into trouble. He told Choji not to wait for him after classes finished because he knew that the bullies weren't going to back down and Shikamaru wasn't going to be there to help him this time. Choji knowing full well what waiting for Shikamaru meant, sat outside the building until Shikamaru was finally released. Shikamaru was angry at first but then all his anger was blown away when Choji thanked him for standing up to the bullies. Shikamaru knew that the two of them weren't going to be able to face the bullies alone forever so that's where Naruto and Kiba came in (but that's a story for another chapter).

"If I knew you were going to fetch me then I would've waited." Not really but then he would've gone to Choji's house and waited for him to get ready.

"I should've told you last night." Choji had his nervous smile on his face which usually indicated to Shikamaru that he had something on his mind that he wanted to talk about but didn't really know how to approach the subject.  
Suddenly the door opened again then Shizune appeared pushing a trolley with boxes, cups, saucers and a teapot on the top section while three binders were on the bottom section.

"I thought I told you to wait in Kakashi's office and not to start working." Shizune was clearly annoyed with the lazy ninja. She was turning into Ino and it already irritated him.

"You took too long." Shikamaru replied.

"It's not like there are stalls or restaurants opened this early who are making a lot of things." Yep, definitely reminds him of Ino except that Shizune was right. She continued ranting on as she placed the saucers on the glass coffee table then began placing food from the boxes onto the saucers. Shikamaru and Choji looked at each other and shrugged not knowing what to do. None of them looked like they cared really. They learnt that it was better to let a woman continue their ranting until they were satisfied than to interrupt her and risk ending up in the hospital.  
"Now get up from there and come have a proper breakfast you two. Those chips aren't healthy." Both of them put the packets of chips on the table as they obediently stood up and made they way to the couches on either side of the table.

"Looks delicious Shizune-san." Choji's eyes definitely lit up when he saw what was on the plates; sweet treats mostly. There were different kinds of yaki dango and taiyaki on the saucers and one saucer was filled with rice balls stacked neatly on top of each other.

"You definitely outdone yourself. You shouldn't have gone through all this trouble." Shikamaru was basically just following Choji's lead. No one could ever want to beat up Choji or be angry at the gentle shinobi so Shikamaru had more of a Choji surviving Shizune by hiding behind Choji.

"It's my pleasure now eat up and enjoy." Shizune instructed them as she poured some tea into two cups for them. "I'm leaving these binders here for you Shikamaru. Kakashi said you're going to need them."

"Thanks." He replied as she put the binders on the shelf nearest to his desk.

"See you guys soon." She closed the door as she left the two nervous ninja. Both of them breathed a sigh of relief before they began eating.

"Working here definitely has its perks." He didn't even think about it that way. He didn't think about Shizune as a 'perk' either. He thought of her more as a sensei or a partner at best but never though of her as a 'perk'. She was there to ensure that Kakashi was okay and that he finished his work on time. She wasn't there to babysit Shikamaru as well. Shikamaru was supposed to be there to help lighten her workload.

"This is the first and probably last time she does this for me." Even if Shizune did offer to do it again, he wouldn't accept it. She was there to make sure that Kakashi can run the village so she shouldn't be worrying about him. He respected her too much to do so as well.

"Look at all the things she did for Lady Tsunade. She will always make sure that you are okay." Choji wasn't wrong there. Shizune was a doctor as well and a devoted, loyal and excellent one at that. When Lady Tsunade was the hokage then Shizune and Sakura practically ran the hospital. Now that Lady Tsunade was free to run the hospital alongside Sakura, Shizune could run this place like a hospital and make sure that everyone in the building was at 100% health. He had to make a note that he should get Lady Tsunade to help him make sure that Shizune didn't neglect taking care of herself as well.

"True. She's a good person." No doubt about that. "Is there something on your mind Cho?" He might as well ask his best friend now. The setting was perfect; both of them were relaxed and enjoying a meal so if there ever was a time to find out what was on his mind then now it was.

"Kurenai-sensei said that you left after she mentioned Sakura. Did something happen?" There it was; reality finally catching up to him. His bubble of denial finally burst. The pain and agony he forced into a corner was finally brought back to the centre of his mind's attention. He cursed her name under his breath as he refused to make eye contact with his comrade in the room. Everything around him seemed to stop only to remind him of the gruelling events of last night.  
Then he turned to look at his chubby friend. His eyes weren't filled with intrigue, wonder or judgement but rather with compassion, caring and empathy. He looked at the lazy ninja not as someone who needed to be fixed but someone who needed a shoulder to lean on.

"We kissed." He admitted it. He couldn't lie to Choji. He hardly deserved to be friends with such a pure man so he didn't want to prove himself right anymore. It's not like Choji was going to tell anyone what they spoke about here so he could openly confess what happened. Things couldn't get any worse right now as it is.

"That's great. I thought I sensed something between the two of you last night." He liked Choji but somehow he needed to teach him to read between the lines and not take things as they are.

"I guess both our senses were wrong then." He sighed as he sunk back into the couch. He was surprised by how comfortable it felt. It hugged his body perfectly.

"What happened?" He could tell that his friend was really concerned right now. He didn't want him to be but he couldn't change Choji and he didn't want to.

"She ran away. Said something about going to help Naruto in the middle of the night." The more he thought about that, the worse he felt. That excuse didn't even make sense. Naruto had Shizune and Hinata helping him study. If Naruto needed to know something about diplomatic relations or political feuds then Shizune was the perfect person to help him. If he needed to know something about fighting techniques or special clan techniques then who better to ask than the Hyuga Heiress? Both Shizune and Hinata had medical training so they could answer any medical questions that he had so what could Sakura possibly have gone to help him with that Shizune and Hinata couldn't? It looks like she really was blowing him off. She might as well have just buried a kunai in his chest.

"Naruto and Sakura were in the same team so their relationship is weird. It's like our relationship with Ino. You always helped her when she needed it so you should understand." That was true. Ino seldom asked them for help but when she did then they never turned her down. Once she dragged Choji and Shikamaru out of their houses in the middle of dinner just so that they could go to her house and give their opinions on a dress that she wanted to wear to go out and party with the girls. Why she needed their opinions was beyond them but they helped her as much as they could.

"She kissed me the night of the party as well. The next day she told me that it was just a kiss and that she didn't want to be in a relationship with me." Everything added up so why the hell couldn't he just accept the fact that she wasn't interested? Was he that pathetic that he pined over a girl who didn't want him hoping that she would finally change her mind?

"Do you want to be in a relationship with her?" Choji really wasn't holding back now. He bit through all the bullshit so that he could get to the core of the matter. Maybe that is what Shikamaru needed; someone to have a heart-to-heart with.

"I do. As crazy as it sounds, I like her. I really like her."

"Did you tell her that?" That was a good question. Choji really knew his relationship advice.

"If she would stop shooting me down and running away before I can say it then I would be able to do it."

"Then she didn't reject you."

"Not yet."

"Stop being so negative Shikamaru. Just tell her how you feel."

"You really don't want me to tell her how I really feel about her right now." That was true. He didn't want to see her right now. He couldn't face her and feel the disappointment rush over him again. He just couldn't handle that.

"Are you upset that she hurt you or upset that you let her hurt you?" Damn Choji, where did he learn to ask these questions. He was really making Shikamaru think right now. He was making Shikamaru face his unforgiving truth. He had the answers laughing at him right but he couldn't go out there and face them.

"I'm upset that I let another girl turn me into a fool." He admitted it. It was pointless running away from the truth when his legs weren't fast enough.

"Then learn from this experience and don't let it happen again." Whoever was teaching Choji needed to be teaching Shikamaru as well. This was master level advice Choji was dishing out to him. Maybe Choji was just that mature and this façade he was putting on was to protect him from being ridiculed. He definitely wouldn't want to be with Choji everyday but if that was really who his best friend was then he wouldn't want him to hide it. He should be himself and damn anyone who didn't like him.

"Easier said than done." Everything was that way.

"It always seems impossible until it's done." His respect for the Akimichi definitely rose tenfold right now. He idolised him but that was an understatement right now. He was definitely seeing a new side of Choji and he liked it.

"It's not going to get done for a while so don't expect any results any time soon."

"Don't rush it."

"That has never been a problem for me." He replied causing both of them to chuckle a little at that. He really needed this talk. His pain, heartache and sadness was still prominently there but at least he knew how to handle it now without walking around like a lost soul.  
"Is there any girl that you need help with?" Both of them needed a change of subject so this could be a start.

"No."

"Your parents are probably going to start talking about marriage soon. You are the head of your clan now so they would be concerned about the future of your clan." In that case, he should also get ready for his mother to start talking about that too.

"They won't force me to do something I don't want to do."

"I hope you're right. I don't want to be giving you this talk."

"You won't have to." Choji gave him a reassuring smile bringing peace to Shikamaru's messed up mind. Shikamaru took the last stick of dango as he saw that Choji had eaten nearly everything else already. He was glad that Choji did because there was no way he could've finished it and he didn't want all Shizune's effort to go to waste.

"Has Ino talked to you about getting a gift for Kurenai-sensei?" He nearly forgot about that himself.

"She hasn't."

"We want to get Kurenai-sensei a gift after the baby is born. Something sentimental so we were going to ask Konohamaru if there is something from the Sarutobi clan that we can give to her so that her child can know who her father was."

"That's a good idea. When is Kurenai-sensei giving birth?"

"In about four weeks then we get to meet Asuma's little girl."

"She will be our child as much as she is Kurenai's."

"Just remember that when you have to change diapers and get up in the middle of the night to get her to stop crying." The two of them had a laugh at that. Despite their intense conversation earlier, the mood seemed to change into a much sillier one which both of them seemed to accept. They hardly got time to hangout like this as well so they needed to make the most of it even if he wasn't in the right frame of mind right now.

"I think it's about time for my briefing with Kakashi-sensei." Choji said as he stood up.

"I should probably be apart of that briefing as well. Kakashi-sensei put me in charge of dealing with the bandits." He neatly put all the empty saucers on each other and placed the empty cups next to them before making his way out of the room.

"Shikamaru! Choji!" Only Naruto would ever thinking about shouting down the hallways of the hokage tower. The two ninja turned their heads in the direction of the loud voice then saw Naruto and Hinata making their way to them.

"Good morning Naruto and Hinata." Choji politely greeted them.

"Good morning Choji, Shikamaru." Hinata gave them a slight bow. Shikamaru knew that she only bowed to show them respect towards their respective clans. She was set to be the leader of her clan soon as well so she probably wanted to keep things civil between the two clans. That was stupid of her. She was their friend, she was family. There was no way Shikamaru or Choji would ever turn their backs to her.

"What are you guys doing in the storage room?" Why was Naruto always so loud and happy? Couldn't he just be irritatingly happy like Shizune and Ino?

"It's Shikamaru's office." He could see the surprise on both Naruto and Hinata's faces when Choji told them. Naruto opened the door so that they could look inside. Their stunned expressions told spoke the words their mouths weren't able to make.

"Your office is nice Shikamaru." Hinata nervously replied. He never had any type of relationship with Hinata besides talking to her when their family's had dinner together or when they hung out with the rest of the group but their conversations were always short and to the point. He respected the kunoichi and would always try to do his best to protect her if need be but the nature of their relationship wasn't really known to anyone especially not to them. Maybe that's why she was nervous.

"Your office is awesome. When can we hangout here?" Naruto was definitely too excited about that.

"I'm going to be working in there. It's not a place for hanging out." Shikamaru needed to put his foot down so hopefully Naruto got the message.

"Come on Shikamaru. It's just going to be the guys." Nope, Naruto clearly didn't get the message unless he just chose to ignore it.

"Let's just get this meeting started." Shikamaru opened the door to the Hokage's office so that they could go inside and get the meeting started but everything stopped when he saw who was already inside. The bottomless pit in his stomach seemed to be an endless void of pain spilling out right now. He felt the wave of sadness crashing down on him as soon as they locked eyes with each other. There she was, the reason for his agony and suffering; Sakura.


	9. Chapter 9

**HEY GUYS AND GIRLS. SORRY ABOUT THE DELAY WITH THIS CHAPTER. THINGS HAVE JUST BEEN TOO HECTIC FOR ME RIGHT NOW. LIFE IS SUCH A DRAG. THANKS AGAIN FOR THE SUPPORT. YOU GUYS ROCK. (SORRY ABOUT THE SPELLING MISTAKES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO EDIT THIS CHAPTER)**

 **HAPPY READING:)**

"I wonder what Sakura-chan was talking about with Kakashi-sensei." Naruto said as he sat down on the couch next to Hinata while Choji sunk into the single couch. Shikamaru assumed his position behind his desk that was still cluttered with paperwork that he stopped when Choji entered the room.

"She didn't even greet us when she left. She must've been in a hurry." Choji was right now. He never knew Sakura to be impolite. They entered the room then she bowed and quickly left without so much as a glance towards the group.

"Maybe she had something important on her mind." Hinata always tried to see the best in people. Just like Choji, she hated killing people even when she was on a mission. She wouldn't willingly kill anyone unless that person wanted to kill her or anyone she loved. Just like Choji as well, when they wanted to kill someone then they were extremely terrifying. It was best to stay out of their way or risk being killed in the process as well.

"She still could've greeted us you know. We are her friends." Despite having Hinata, Naruto still pined after Sakura's affection but there was certainly no romantic reason behind it. It was probably just something that he hadn't grown out of. Maybe she needed to leave the village like Sasuke did before her and Naruto's relationship could mature.

"Shikamaru, do you know what's happening between Sakura and Kakashi-sensei?" The nervousness in Hinata's voice was still lurking even though she managed to turn it down. He thought it was gone but once Kakashi announced that Shikamaru was going to be taking over their mission then it returned again. He knew that Hinata had a problem standing up to a figure in authority, probably because of her father, but he also knew that her heart was in the right place and if she needed to break the rules then it would be for the greater good.

"I don't." He didn't want to either. He wanted to get as far away from Sakura as he could. He wanted to stay here in his protected bubble and focus on his work.  
"You guys have a mission to prepare for. Don't let me down." He hoped that would get them out of their. They were his friends but he just wanted to be alone right now. He needed to drown in silence for a while before he could face the noise of the world. The only thing keeping him going was the thought of solitude and silence he could enjoy in the comfort of his own perfect paradise that is his office yet here they were, disturbing the tranquillity he desperately craved for.

"You know we won't Shikamaru. You can count on us." That was typical of Naruto. Always shining hope in the deepest and darkest places. Maybe that's why Shikamaru wanted him to be the hokage. He needed Naruto to awaken the hope inside him.

"We'll do our best Shikamaru." Hinata politely said as they stood up. She gave a quick bow immediately making Shikamaru a little uncomfortable.

"I will see you in a couple of days then Shikamaru." Choji gave him an approving nod before leaving the room behind Naruto and Hinata. He smiled as he watched his friends leave. They were a troublesome bunch but he knew he couldn't live without them. He needed them as much as they needed him even if he didn't show it. He took a deep breath then settled into doing his work. He could finally do the thing he set out to do; drown himself in the sea of work before him.

"You're here early Shikamaru." Shizune's voice jerked him out of his concentration forcing him to lift his head up and see the well known medic ninja standing in front of him. Tonton was in her arms as usual but the versatile creature definitely looked much brighter than she did yesterday. One could swear that the amount of time Shizune puts in to looking after Tonton was almost as if Tonton belonged to her and not her master.

"What time is it?" He tiredly asked. Shizune quizzically looked at young Nara sitting behind his desk. Shikamaru felt her gaze penetrating his body like she was doing a full work up examine on by just staring at him. He wouldn't be surprised if she was though. If Lady Tsunade praised her then she must be extremely skilful.

"Just after eight." He could hear the judgement in her tone as she answered him. "Have you been here whole night?"

"Yeah. I found something that I think Kakashi-sensei needs to hear." He stood up then picked up a few documents and a map that he was using last night.

"Where did you get those mission reports?"

"In the archives where you left them."

"Make sure you return them. We might need them again."

"I will."

"And who gave you permission to even take them?"

"You and Kakashi weren't here earlier so I took the initiative. It's not like I was messing around with them."

"You were supposed to go home and not take the initiative."

"We're doing our jobs to protect the village which requires attention at all hours."

"Well your body and most certainly your brain can't keep up being constantly active without a break." Tonton squealed her agreement with Shizune as the two ninja made their way out of the office.

"My body and brain are just fine. I will take a break when this mission is finished."

"You're turning out to be just like your father." That voice stopped Shikamaru dead in his tracks like someone controlled his shadow now. He knew exactly who that voice was and he confirmed it when he turned his head and saw his mother approaching them. Kurenai walked a breath behind his mother who had a clearly irritated expression on her face.

"Um... good morning mom." The nervousness in his voice was unmistakeable. He scratched the back of his head as the two women stopped in front of them. He suddenly felt like the smallest person there even though he was taller than all three women and definitely taller than Tonton.

"Mrs Nara, Ms Yuhi." Shizune gave them a bow then proudly stood next to lazy ninja.

"Shizune-chan, how are you doing?" Kurenai gave her a warm smile as she addressed the Hokage's assistant.

"I'm doing great. How are you and the baby doing?" That was always the main topic when it came to Kurenai now. How could it not be? Her belly looked like it was ready to explode.

"She has her moments but we're both doing fine. She's already making me tired though." The two females let out a small laugh while Yoshino continued staring at her son.

"Shizune, was my son here all night?" Shikamaru knew that his mother would get more information out of the medic ninja next to him than out of him.

"Yes. He was working on a mission apparently." All three females turned their attention to him. It didn't look like one of them agreed with him staying at the hokage tower to do his work. He could see where they were coming from. His body ached, his mind was tired and his words slurred a little. It wasn't logical to work through the night it seemed. He probably should've taken a break.

"It is important." He would be surprised if that defence actually worked. He didn't expect it to but it was worth a try. Any idea was welcomed right now.

"So is your health." Trust Shizune to play that card.

"Sitting in your office whole day is not beneficial to anyone, let alone yourself." Definitely a motherly thing to say. He waited for Kurenai to add anything but she didn't. It looked like she was going to let his mother take the lead on this one.

"I've eaten and I've taken in enough fluids. I admit that I am a little tired but I have work to do." He never thought that he would ever say those words. It was so out of character for him to do so but he wasn't the same anymore. No one was the same after the war.

"We don't care about your work, we care about you." His mother certainly switched gears there fast. He knew she cared about him like every mother cares about their child but she hardly showed it. She was more practical than that but Shikamaru liked that about her. He didn't grow up sheltered from the truth. He knew exactly what was going on and why it was happening. Hell, he was one of the only kids that knew Naruto had the nine-tails sealed inside him while they were in the academy. He was surprised that Sasuke didn't know but then again, Sasuke had his own problems to deal with.

"What's all the noise about?" Kakashi opened the door and was confronted with the situation in front of him.

"Hokage-sama." Kurenai and Yoshino immediately gave Kakashi a bow.

"Kakashi-sensei, I think I found the bandits next target." Shikamaru wanted to forget the conversation that he was having with the three kunoichi and continue with what he wanted to do in the first place.

"I handed that mission over to you. You have permission to do whatever you think is necessary." Either Kakashi trusted Shikamaru too much or he was just too lazy to take control of the mission himself. He did have a village to run so maybe he was just prioritising.

"It actually ties in with the other thing we spoke about yesterday." Kakashi raised an eyebrow at that statement. He was clearly interested now.

"Let's talk in my office then." The hokage led the way inside his office then settled behind his desk. Shizune quickly fetched a chair to allow Kurenai to sit down close to the desk then joined Shikamaru and Yoshino standing on the opposite side of the desk.

"May I?" Shikamaru asked Kakashi as he motioned to the map and his desk. The hokage nodded his head in agreement allowing Shikamaru to unroll the map across the desk. He then handed the documents in his hand over to Kakashi and took a deep breath before he explained.  
"The documents I gave you are of three different bandit attacks on villages in different lands. Each attack consists of a small group of bandits but each group portrays a specific part of the plan that bigger group of bandits use when they attack."

"Are you saying that these bandits joined together?" Kakashi could certainly see where Shikamaru was going with this. He found comfort in the fact that the hokage could follow his train of thought.

"Yes. We don't know much about who those bandits were since the reports only indicate that they are a group of lowlife thieves. We can't figure out who they are but I think I have a couple of possible targets that the bandits might choose." Shikamaru began circling different points on the map as the three kunoichi and the hokage watched on.

"How do you know that they might attack these villages?" His mother asked the question the other three ninja were begging to know as well.

"The village I circled in the Fire Country that borders the Land of Grass is similar to the one that the bandits recently attacked. They might decide to switch to plan B which would be to attack this village. It's unlikely but not impossible and if we send ninja to that village right now then there will be even less of a chance that they would attack that village."

"I can have a team there before noon." Kakashi was certainly taking Shikamaru seriously. He was glad that the hokage didn't question his theory but that made him more nervous than relieved for some reason. If he was directing the Hokage then that meant he was highly ranked in the village right now and more responsibility rested on his shoulders.

"The other circles are in the Earth Country. Why do you think they would travel that far to attack when they can just choose an easier village from one of the smaller nations?" His mother was definitely going to grill him about his decisions. He was prepared for it though. He didn't stay up all night fooling around.

"The villages in the Earth Country all have a similar set up to each other and to the ones in our country and to the one in the Wind Country. All the villages are doing well and are wealthy compared to similar villages in the smaller nations. I don't think they would waste their resources attacking a village in the smaller nations when a similar village in the bigger countries would yield more profit. That's why I think that they would rather attack one of the villages in the bigger countries." Shikamaru felt confident in his reasons. Everyone else had their best poker faces on so he couldn't make out what they were thinking. Hopefully they agreed with his way of thinking.

"What do you think their next move would be Shikamaru?" Kakashi's stern voice held nothing other than authority. He wasn't playing around right now. Shikamaru knew that this was the breaking point. He was either going to win the trust and loyalty of the silver haired hokage or he was going to keep being seeing as the broken chunin.  
The broken chunin, definitely not the worst choice. He was broken; hell, he felt destroyed. Having the whole village see him as such would allow him to laze around and do nothing without anyone questioning his motives. He could finally have the life he always wanted; stress free.  
But why did he feel this inner sense driving him to do better. To prove to everyone that he can move on and can come out of this stronger than he ever was. Why?  
The answer stared him right in the face; Kurenai's child. He wanted to make sure that there was a life of peace and comfortability not only for his sensei's child but for every child in the village. He didn't want them to grow up without parents or to lose their family due to war or some other senseless act of violence. He wanted to help spread the hope Naruto instilled in the village. He wanted needed them to inspire the hope in him so that one day he could also quench the thirst of love his aching heart desperately longed for. He found his purpose. He found his drive. All he needed was to find the person who could bring his devastated heart back to life.

"From the recent reports I've read and in planning their best possible route, I am almost certain that they won't stay any longer in the Fire Country than they need to and they wouldn't travel through the Land of Rain which would be the easiest and direct route to the Earth Country. They were able to attack a village in the desert in the Wind Country so their next move would be to move out of the Fire Country and go back to the Wind Country through the Land of Rivers. The desert will provide more than enough cover for them so they would be safer and they can easily overpower the border guards. They will most likely travel as close along the border as possible until they reach the Land of Birds and cross it into the Earth Country. From there they would choose one of the three villages and if they are not stopped by the first village then they would try another one before they make their way to the Lightning Country." Their it was, his well thought out plan. That's as much as he could plan with the little information at his disposal. He tried his best and he was satisfied with the effort he put in.

"Looks like Asuma was right about you; you would be a great hokage." Kurenai's words immediately made him want to tear up. He was glad, he really was. His mother looked at him with a smile on her face that only spoke volumes about how proud she was. Shizune gave him a nod of approval while Tonton had somewhat of a smile on her chubby face.

"You're welcomed to take over my job. Your father was the one that put me here in the first place." He couldn't tell if Kakashi was joking or not. Maybe it was because of his tiredness. He wasn't focused on that though. His mind kept replaying Kurenai's words in his mind. He remembered Asuma telling him that and all he thought about was having Asuma there at that moment. He would probably have his stupid grin on his face as he stood behind Kurenai sitting on the chair. That image made his aching heart tremble with joy.

"You can always appoint him as acting hokage if you and Lady Tsunade are ever out of the village at the same time." His mother was always looking for ways to give him more work and being the hokage, even if it was only for a day or two, was the mother-load of work. He was glad that his mother trusted him enough to rule the village.  
He still wasn't sure about his plan. There was a lot of things that could go wrong. He could be wrong about it as well. This whole thing could've been one big coincidence. The only person he wanted to talk to about it was the one person he could never defeat and the one person he never will; his father. He never spoke to his father that much after he became a chunin. His father was the Jounin Commander so it should've been expected that the two of them would hardy cross paths during their work. They would have breakfast and dinner at home but even then they would hardly speak to each other. They found comfort in each other's silence but his mother always encouraged having light hearted conversations when they ate so they were forced to join or risk feeling Yoshino's wrath. The only time they were allowed to be quiet while they ate was when his parents were having a fight. The only problem with that was that the silence wasn't comfortable. It slowly made him more and more uncomfortable so he tried getting out of there as fast as possible even if it meant coming up with stupid excuses like cleaning his room. He missed those moments though. He missed his father.

"Doesn't that go without saying?" Shizune's words snapped him back to reality.

"I would think so." Kakashi didn't know the extent of Shikamaru's employment either. They didn't exactly have a written document to say what his role here would be but he was sure that everything would work itself out in the end.  
"Shikamaru, what does this have to do with the continuation of the Allied Shinobi Force?"

"Those bandits are made up of various criminals from across the ninja realm. They attacked a village in the Wind Country and the Fire Country and are looking to attack a village in the Earth Country. If we had the Allied Shinobi Force then we could address this issue easily and figure out a way to deal with these bandits together. We could also use that platform to help each village grow together so that one village isn't left behind while the other villages prosper. Together we were able to win the Fourth Great Shinobi War."

"That's a strong argument Shikamaru. What is your plan?" Looks like he was getting good at convincing the hokage. Hopefully he could be just as good at convincing the other Kage.

"I want to start working on sending letter to the Kazekage and Tsuchikage informing them of what I expect the bandits to do and to propose a joint mission between our three villages in order to stop the bandits. I also want to start working on a letter to send to all the Kage proposing a joint meeting that we can send out after the mission with the bandits. That way I can address all five Kage together about the continuation of the Allied Shinobi Force." He laid all his cards out on the table now. There was nothing he was hiding so if Kakashi was going to shut him down then now was the time to do it.

"You've done enough for today Shikamaru. Go home and rest." He definitely wasn't expecting Kakashi to tell him that. He was waiting for a reply to his plan. Did he like it or not?

"With all due respect Kakashi-sensei; you put me in charge of this mission and I want to make sure that it's done properly. I need to inform Gaara and..."

"Go home Shikamaru; that's an order." He could see Kakashi's eyes staring him down. He could feel the fear rising in him. He wasn't going to show it but it was definitely making his tired body tense up.

"But..."

"Shikamaru, you did good." This time it was his mother interrupting him. He turned to look at her and was surprised by what he saw. Her face shone with pride again. He was honestly confused by what was going on right now. He had work to do and no one was making sense.

"Shizune and I will take care of the mission and notifying the kazekage and Tsuchikage. You might've just saved a couple of villages Shikamaru. The only thing I need from you is to go get some rest so that you can come back here and continue keeping our villages safe." There was the answer he was looking for. That was all he needed to hear.

"Thank you Kakashi-sensei." He gave the hokage a bow then began making his way out of the office and across the passage to his office. He heard his mother and Kurenai greet Kakashi as well so they were probably going to go home as well. He quickly began sorting out his desk so that it didn't look like a hurricane passed through it. Fatigue was beginning to take its toll on him and he could feel it affecting his movements. He powered through it then turned around and saw his mother and Kurenai standing in the doorway waiting for him.

"You ready to go?" Kurenai asked him.

"Yeah." His tired response was a welcomed relief to his brain. Three ninja began making their way out of the elegantly decorated building into the comfortingly cool temperature outside. He quickly adjusted to the colder temperature then finally settled into slow walk besides his mother and Kurenai.

"Why did you leave so early yesterday morning?" His mother was clearly going to ask him the questions she could ask last night. He should've expected it. If his mother wanted to know something then she wouldn't forget to find out. His memory wasn't as good as hers, probably because he was too lazy to remember finer details when he wasn't on a mission.

"I had work to do." That was a safe answer. He didn't want to tell them the real reason. He didn't want to remember the real reason as well. Why did the one memory he wanted to forget plague his mind like an unrelenting pest?

"What happened between you and Sakura?" Kurenai was certainly more direct than his mother. He feared for her child a little. She would never be able to get away with anything when Kurenai was around. Hell, she wouldn't be able to keep a secret from Kurenai. That should be expected since Kurenai is one of the best genjutsu users in the village.

"Nothing happened. I walked her home then came home myself." Besides the kiss, nothing else happened. That kiss might as well have not have happened anyway. It just confirmed the answer his heart didn't want to hear.

"Took you guys long though." What was this? His mother and Kurenai were attacking him from both sides hoping to break him down. They didn't look like they were going to stop until they got it out of him. Troublesome women.

"We weren't exactly in a rush. We enjoy each other's company." He was getting irritated with this. Why couldn't they just leave him alone? All he ever wanted was a peaceful silence, was that so hard to ask for?

"I'm sure that's not the only thing you like about her." This felt like some weird version of good cop and bad cop. Kurenai's sly questioning and his mother's unasked questioning was tearing him down piece by piece.

"Where are you guys going with this?" Now it was his turn to ask them the questions. He couldn't be the only one being interrogated here.

"We were just trying to having a conversation with you Shikamaru." The way his mother said that made him sound like a bad guy.

"Such a drag." He sighed then slid his hands in his pants pocket and looked up at the sky. Cloudy but didn't look like rain. That was good. He could handle the cold but he didn't like the rain; not after the last time. He was surprised that the streets weren't busy. People were setting up their stalls and people were walking around doing shopping but it wasn't bustling like other days. Maybe the cold didn't agree with them.

"We have some news for you as well." Kurenai's word drew him back to the two older kunoichi next to him. "I am going to be living with you guys until I get a bigger place to stay for me and my child."

"Our compound is further from the hospital than your apartment. Why doesn't my mother just move in with you?" That would make more sense in case of an emergency.

"I only have one bedroom." He forgot about that. His brain really was too tired to think right now.

"You have a couch." That immediately earned him a hit to the back of his head by his mother.

"You are lucky I don't make you sleep on the couch." His mother definitely wasn't playing there. He remembered finding his father sleeping on the couch on more than one occasion despite having over enough bedrooms for him to go sleep in.  
"Kurenai and I are going to do some shopping. You better be at home sleeping when we get there."

"Okay." He reluctantly agreed. He knew that his mother meant that as an order rather than a choice. He also knew that if he wasn't sleeping then she would physically put him to sleep herself.

"See you later Shikamaru." With Kurenai's, greeting they went their separate ways. His sigh of relief felt like it was lifting an unknown burden off him. Everything became clearer again. Then he remembered the meeting he had with Kakashi a few moments ago and he immediately altered his destination. There was only one place he wanted to be right now. There was only two people he wanted to see right now.

A short while later, he found himself standing exactly where he wanted to be visiting the only two people he wanted to talk to right now; his father and sensei. He looked at their graves and felt a rush of emotion explode inside him. Anger, regret, pain, heartbreak all mixed with pleasure, joy, peace and overall happiness. They really did shape him into the man he was right now.

"I miss you." He felt like he needed to admit it to himself. He never opened up to anyone about how he really felt after the war. Everyone could see his pain and anguish written all over him and they did their best to help him but he didn't want their help. He just wanted to be left alone but no matter how quiet he found it, he still couldn't find the peace he craved for.  
Who would've thought that the content peace he would've given anything to find was in the eye of the storm? Who would've thought that in order to find himself, he would have to give himself up to the chaos of his mind?  
He wanted so much for them to be standing in front of him so that he could tell them what he planned. He wanted to see their reactions to know if he did the right thing. He wanted to hear their voices so that they could soothe his questioning mind. He wanted to see their glimmer of a smile showing their approval. He missed them.

A touch of his hand immediately brought him back to reality. His mind registered the contact and he immediately turned around to see whose hand it was. There she was, standing right there in front of him with all her beauty screaming its presence.

"Hey." Her caring and sincere voice immediately made him want to break down. He wanted to feel her arms wrapped around him bringing life to his sleep deprived body.

"Hey." His voice sounded coarse. She could tell that he was holding back tears. She knew he never liked crying in front of other people. She hardly ever saw him cry himself but she wasn't going to let him go through it alone.

"What are you doing here?" She knew it was a stupid question seeing as whose graves he was standing in front of.

"I thought I'd stop by here on my way home. Haven't been here in a while."

"You okay?" Two simple words that he couldn't truthfully answer. He wasn't okay. He never was going to be okay ever again and he was okay with that. He learnt from a young age already that heartbreak and pain was going to get harder to deal with the longer he became a shinobi. He also knew that the best way to deal with it was not to feel any emotion. Just push everything to the forgotten corner of your mind and continue with life.  
How could he do that when the pain came along with the enjoyable memories? He never wanted to forget his sensei or his father but the pain of wallowing in his memories of them were too much. He wasn't okay but he was still alive.

"Yeah." Not a complete yes but not a no either. More like a hopeful yes to show that he was getting there.

"I am here if you need someone to talk to." He almost laughed at that statement. He was just waiting for her to use an excuse to get away from him right now. Maybe she could use Ino as her excuse this time. Maybe she promised Ino that she would help paint her nails or something.

"What are you doing here?" Why was she there anyway? The hospital is very far from here. Hell, he was surprised she was this far from everything. She was a doctor so there could be an emergency at any time so she should've been closer to the hospital.

"I know that you might not want to open up to me but I know what you're going through. Just talk to me." He couldn't help but scoff at her words.

"You don't know what I am going through. You have your father. Your family is complete. You have don't have one sensei but you have both sensei's still alive and well. How can you possibly know what I am going through?" He hated his explosion of emotion but he wasn't lying. She couldn't have known what he was going through.

"I also went through the war. I watched as comrades died in front of me. I held peoples lives in my hands and I couldn't save some of them."

"Yet you came back home to a loving family and a ninja realm that hails you as a hero. Hell, you have everything. You have your parents, your sensei's, your teammates, your friends, your career as a medic ninja grows by the second; what don't you have? What could you possibly want that you don't already have? What is it that you don't have that can possibly be standing in your way of happiness?"

"You."


	10. Chapter 10

**HEY GUYS AND GIRLS. I'M BACK WITH ANOTHER CHAPTER AS YOU CAN SEE. THIS CHAPTER IS SLIGHTLY LONGER AND MORE STUPID AND BASICALLY BORING AS USUAL. DON'T REALLY KNOW WHY YOU GUYS AND GIRLS LIKE IT. IT'S JUST ANOTHER STUPID STORY FROM JUST ANOTHER STUPID GUY. I DIDN'T GET TIME TO EDIT AGAIN. I WANTED TO POST IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE (SORRY).**

 **HAPPY READING:)**

"Where are you going Shikamaru? Are you seriously going to walk away?" He could hear the desperation in her voice. He stopped walking and turned around to face her again. A quick wind blew through the empty space between them. He looked at her and he could see that he was hurting her. That was something he never wanted to do. He wanted nothing but the best for her.  
"I want you Shikamaru."

"You don't get to say that after running away from me when I wanted you." His was voice was uncharacteristically strong and stern as he spoke those words.

"I had something I needed to do."

"Cut the crap Sakura. You told me the day after your party that you didn't want to be in a relationship."

"That was different."

"How was that different?" She really was angering him now. He knew she was hiding something which is why she was in this mess right now but he wasn't going to hold back just because of that. She hurt him enough and he had enough of it.  
"You kiss me the night of your party then the next day you tell me not to read anything into it and that you don't want to be in a relationship. I walk you home and we kiss again then you runaway. I get the message Sakura."

"No you don't. There is no message."

"Message or no message, I am finished. I don't know what game you're playing at but I am not going to be apart of it anymore."

"Shikamaru listen to me. I am not playing with you. I am not perfect but I am serious when I say that I want to be in a relationship with you." He could see that she was being honest and sincere right now but it was a little too late for that.

"I am not perfect either. I am a useless piece of shit most of the time but even I don't deserve to be toyed with. I've been hurt enough and I am not going to put myself in that position anymore. I might be an idiot but I am not going to allow a girl to hurt me anymore." She didn't say anything. She looked to the side refusing to let him see the tears escaping down her cheeks. It felt like his heart erased its last chance at happiness. There was no hope anymore. There was no wishing for it anymore. There was just an empty space he was willing to dump all his emotions in and forget about it.  
He turned around and began making his way home. A lone tear escaped his eye and slowly travelled down his cheek then dropped down onto the cold ground beneath his feet disappearing along with the rest of the warmth in his heart. Stone cold; that's what was best for him right now. No emotions, no second chances; just straight to the point. Beating around the bush was just too troublesome. He looked around and reluctantly smiled. A cemetery, a fitting place for his last sliver of hope to die.

"You have both of us here so can you tell us what was so important?" Why did Ino have to question him so much? It was such a drag.

"Yeah Shikamaru. I returned from a mission yesterday so today is my rest day. Why did you bring us out here to the training fields?" It was rare for Choji to question him but he didn't really tell Ino or Choji anything except that he wanted to do something with them. He had to drag Ino out of bed then they went to have breakfast Choji's house, they were forced to anyway, before coming here.

"We're going to train." Ino burst out laughing at Shikamaru's announcement while Choji just stood there with a confused look on his face.

"Come on Shikamaru, what are we really doing here?" Ino really didn't believe him. He really wasn't surprised. Even he couldn't believe that he was willingly coming to train. It was weird.

"Did I stutter?" The annoyance in his question was evident but Ino continued laughing.

"This has to be a joke. Is someone hiding in the bushes or something?" She looked around at the trees surrounding the open training field. He didn't really know what she was looking for but he let her have a look.

"Grow up Ino." He sighed as he looked up at the cloudy sky above them.

"Why do you want to train?" Choji could probably sense something was up with his best friend. Ino might have been laughing at Shikamaru's uncharacteristic announcement but Choji was certainly more interested as to why.

"There's only so much I can do behind a desk." That wasn't the complete answer but that was the main reason. Despite his extreme laziness, Shikamaru always found it easier to plan when you can see exactly what is happening in front of you. Lady Tsunade hated that about him since she didn't have him or his father with her at headquarters. His father would be out commanding the jounin while Shikamaru would be helping his friends on the front lines. No one could fault Shikamaru on his effort when it came to being a shinobi but when he wasn't on a mission then he was basically useless.

"Planning to go on missions again?" Choji was being surprisingly observant. He found it comforting that his best friend understood him. He noticed that Ino had stopped laughing and was paying attention to the two males now.

"You two will be the first to know if I do. There's no one else I'd rather go on a mission with." Hell, he would laugh at the thought of going on a mission with any other people. The three of them knew each other so well on missions that they hardly spoke when they were in a battle. The only time they spoke was if anything new appeared or if one of them really was in danger. Other than that, they were on the same wavelength. Ino would bust their balls immediately after the battle though but he knew that she meant well. Hearing her voice criticising both him and Choji was a relief because then the mission was successful. Any mission they walked out of was a successful one. He knew that each one of them would lay their lives down to protect each other which is why they understood each other so perfectly.

"You really going through with it?" Ino's question was sincere. He could see the pain she still harboured in her eyes just waiting for a moment of weakness to release.

"It's time to prove our parents right. We are the new legendary Ino-Shika-Cho so it's time we start acting like it." Their smiles were all the approval he needed. It's like they were waiting for this moment. They probably were. Out of the three of them, he was the only one that was still mourning but now he had his closure.

"What's the plan Shikamaru?" Choji asked him that question way too much. He knew that Choji could come up with a plan as quick as Shikamaru could even though it might not be the best course of action. Maybe the chubby ninja found comfort in having his lazy teammate giving the orders.  
They did a few warm ups and a couple of stretches to loosen their muscles and warm them up before the cold consumed them and made their training even harsher. The temperature wasn't cold enough to make their breaths visible but it was cold enough to make them miss the warmth the sun always provided. Shikamaru then began discussing a couple of new tactics that they could use allowing them to provide their input as well before they began practising it. They were a bit rusty at first seeing as they hadn't practised together in a couple of months but they were having some fun, at least Shikamaru and Choji was. Ino kept shouting at them to stop playing around but they ignored her. What was training without a little fun?  
After they finished their teamwork training, they began their own personal training by fighting each other. A normal three way taijutsu battle. Their ninjutsu was as good as it could get but their taijutsu was probably just below average, Shikamaru's definitely was. He knew the basics of taijutsu and he knew enough to block then runaway and create some distance between him and his opponent in order to use his ninjutsu but other than that he sucked. Choji was probably the best out of the three of them. Not really shocking since he fought hand to hand even if his hand was considerably bigger than his opponents hand. Ino could hold her own pretty well in a taijutsu fight. He knew that ever since her battle with Sakura in their first chunin exams and she only kept growing her taijutsu ever since them but her ninjutsu was still her priority.

"Come on Shikamaru, can we please take a break now?" Ino was definitely as exhausted as he was but he didn't really show it. Choji still looked like he could go another round which wasn't surprising since he had been going out on missions while Ino and Shikamaru stayed in the village. They really needed to raise their stamina levels again.

"Yeah. I think we're finished here for today as well." Shikamaru answered her.

"Finally." Was she really exhausted or did she just want to stop training? Shikamaru couldn't decide. They made their way to a bag Shikamaru brought along and he immediately each of them a bottle of water. They happily drained the plastic containers of its contents hoping to replenish their energy in return.  
"I don't want to go to work now." That was typical Ino. She never wanted to get but from her bed, about one of the only things she shared in common with her lazy teammate, but once she was up then she would work to the best of her ability. Shikamaru didn't share that enthusiasm if he was at home. The only time he would really work was if he was if he was out of the house and if he wasn't on a hill basking in the sun. Another reason why he hated the rain; no lazing around on hills and bathing in the warmth of the sun.

"I have to go give a mission report to you soon Shikamaru." He almost forgot about that part of the mission. He hadn't gone on a mission in so long that he forgot some of the aspects of it. He didn't like giving mission reports though. What was the point? The hokage or someone in charge gives them a mission so they do it and come back to the village. Mission complete.

"I heard that you are meeting the Kage soon." He would've been surprised by Ino's statement but he was used to hearing that Ino knew more about his life that he did. Maybe he was just too lazy to care about what happens in his life. Meeting the Kage was important right? Or was he just not that important to tell even though he was the one meeting them? Things just seemed so messed up in that incubator for his brain. He would be informed about it soon he hoped, well properly informed about it at least.

"I never heard that." Choji and Ino let out a small laugh at Shikamaru's reply. He couldn't help but release a short laugh of his own.

"You should pay more attention when people talk to you then." Ino was probably right there. He had a tendency to ignore someone if they were boring him. He was so used to it that he was able to look at someone dead in their face and not hear a word they were saying.

"I was at home yesterday. My mom and Kurenai dragged me out of the hokage tower after Kakashi-sensei ordered me to go home." He wasn't planning on telling them about the event that happened before he went home and passed out. Hell, that conversation with Sakura was the other part of the reason why he wanted to do this training session. He played and replayed their conversation over and over in his head driving him crazy so he wanted something to distract him and this was the perfect opportunity. He could train and forget about her for a while; two birds with one stone.

"Is Kurenai still by your house?" Choji was certainly interested in this part of the conversation. He was glad for the change of subject.

"Yeah. She's going to living with my mom and I until after she gives birth I guess. She wants to get a bigger place for her and her child."

"We still need to get a gift for her." Ino quickly said. He forgot about that again. It wasn't really on the top of his mind right now. Ino probably forgot about it by the sudden surprise on her face as well. That made him feel a little better about forgetting it as well.

"I will find out later by Shizune if Konohamaru is on a mission or not. We can go visit him tomorrow I guess." Shikamaru wasn't excited about doing it but he wanted to get something for Kurenai so it was best that he got it done sooner rather than forgetting to do it later.

"Good. I can take the day off tomorrow." He was sure that it was only going to take an hour to find something for Kurenai and her child so Ino didn't need to take the whole day off but he certainly wasn't going to fight her. He knew that if Ino did something then she did it to the extreme and this was proving to be no different.

"I didn't get a mission yet so I am free as well." At least Choji didn't have any extra work to do, well not that Shikamaru knew of and he basically knew everything Choji did. Well Choji did do a lot of volunteer work around the village with his father if they had time. His whole family was like that if he thought about it.

"Tomorrow it is then. We should go freshen up then continue with the rest of our day." Shikamaru didn't want to but it was what had to be done. They had to be grown ups now.  
"How about we have barbecue tonight? Asuma always use to take us to have barbecue after training. We have work right now but tonight we will be free so we could do it then." It felt like a tradition to get barbecue after training and the three of them were taught to follow tradition as strictly.

"I would like that." Ino never approved of them going out for barbecue after training but he could understand why she wanted to go now. Maybe she regretted always arguing against it and not enjoying it with Asuma. He regretted that he never paid enough attention to those small moments but he knew Asuma enjoyed doing it for them. Choji would empty his sensei's wallet but Asuma was more than willing to pay for it. He really was like another father for them. Now the only father they had was Choji's father. He didn't really talk to Choji's father but he liked the older ninja. He always did his best to make Shikamaru feel at home when he went over to their house.

"You don't have to tell me twice." He knew Choji never needed to be asked to go get barbecue with them.

"You're paying for your own food then Choji. I am not going to pay for yours." Ino certainly remembered that part of their barbecue tradition and she didn't want any part of Choji's appetite.

"You know my parents never give me enough money." Choji complained.

"It's not that they don't give you enough money, you just eat too much." Please don't let this be another bothersome battle between his teammates. Ino always loved picking this fight with Choji and the chubby ninja always fought back. He wasn't going to let the thing he loved to do get ridiculed. They never crossed the line that Ino and Sakura would though. When those girls began hurling insults at each other then the idea of a line certainly wasn't present. They would use anything and everything.

"Shut up you two. You guys are such a drag." He hoped that would stop there battle.

"Drag? Do you really want to go there Shikamaru Nara?" Ino continued talking ranting on about something he did or whatever was on her mind but Shikamaru tuned out. He looked over at Choji who was looking at him and the two burst out in laughter. He really didn't know why they were laughing but this just felt right.  
"What are you two idiots laughing at?" He nearly forgot Ino was still busy talking about something.

"This would be the time that Asuma would start laughing. Somehow we would always end up arguing with each other then he would start laughing and take us to get barbecue." That was something Shikamaru would never forget about his sensei. He could find humour in just about any situation.

"He would always say that we were siblings." Choji added.

"We basically are. Ino has a drawer of her own at each of our houses anyway." Shikamaru contemplated throwing her things out of his room on more than one occasion but the result would always be the same; he was too lazy to do it.

"I'm pretty sure my mother loves the two of you more than she loves me." He knew that Ino's mother liked having him and Choji around but he was pretty sure that she loved her daughter more than she loved the two of them. Maybe she just wished that she had more children.

"My parents give you guys more food than they give to me so they definitely love you guys more than they love me." Choji wasn't lying about them giving him and Ino food. They were basically given so much food to eat by Choji's parents that they could never find the energy to go home until the food was digested.

"We always give you most of it anyway." That was one thing Ino always did for Choji. She would start some weird diet or something out of the blue so she always offered most of her food to Choji when they went to his house and he was more than welcomed to eat it. He had to admit though, Choji's parents cooked the best meat.

"We should really get going." Shikamaru reminded them again.

"Yeah."

"You're back Shikamaru." Kakashi said when the lazy ninja sauntered into his office later that morning.

"I've been in my office receiving the mission reports from the ninja that went to the village we saved." He stood in front of the desk with his hands in his pockets and his usual bored expression on his face.

"Anything interesting?" The hokage stopped working and paid his full attention to the shinobi in front of him.

"Nothing we don't already know. All their stories check out. The village is rebuilt and the defences have been upgraded. I saw that you also added a ninja station there."

"I've been wanting do it for a while. We need to protect the villages in our nation. I will be sending ninja there for a couple of weeks to train some of the villagers to protect the people."

"Instead of sending active shinobi, you could send a team of genin and their sensei. That way the sensei can teach the genin and the villagers. The genin can also help out around the village. It would create a better bond between the us and the smaller villages in the nation."

"That's a good idea. I will present that to the Daimyo next week. I needed to talk to you about that as well." This garnered Shikamaru's attention. Why would Kakashi need to talk to him about the Daimyo? He never formally met the Daimyo. The only time he saw the old politician was at the final round of the Chunin Exams. The Daimyo probably watched his match against Temari but then forgot about him so why would he want to talk to him?

"What does your meeting with the Daimyo have to do with me?" Shikamaru inquisitively asked.

"I don't know. He requested that your presence be there. It's best not to question his requests." That was true. The Daimyo had too much power. He could cause a war then send shinobi to go fight it for him. He was too troublesome.

"Anything else I should know?"

"I sent the letter to Gaara and the Tsuchikage so we should be receiving a reply any time now."

"How long will it take to travel to the earth nation?"

"About four days if you really travel quickly. We don't have time to spare anyway."

"True. The bandits have a massive head start already."

"If the Tsuchikage agrees to the joint mission then I want to send a team out tomorrow."

"That would be for the best." Both ninja nodded their head in agreement at their plan. Somehow the grey haired hokage and the spiky haired Nara understood each other very well. Not surprising seeing as both were lazy and intelligent in their own rights.

"Good, both of you are here." Shizune said as she burst into the Hokage's office.

"Morning Shizune-sama." Shikamaru gave her a polite greeting.

"Good morning Shikamaru." Shizune was as perky as usual. He didn't know how Kakashi put up with it all day.  
"I've scheduled a celebration tonight at the bar the ninja's always use."

"What's the occasion?" Kakashi asked his cheerful assistant.

"We're celebrating Shikamaru starting his job here." He forgot about that. He didn't really think that Shizune was serious when she brought it up and he was only agreeing to it to be polite. He really wasn't in the mood for a celebration or party or any kind.

"I already made plans for tonight." He remembered his dinner plans with Ino and Choji.

"I spoke to Ino and Choji and they are coming so you are too. There's no way you aren't coming to a party I made for you." Shizune stared at him with a threatening look in her eyes immediately unsettling the young ninja.

"Um... I will be there then." He took one hand out of his pockets and scratched the back of his head as he gave her a nervous smile.

"Great." She gave him an equally happier smile then turned to the hokage. "You're also going to be there right Kakashi-kun?" He didn't know why but the way Shizune said 'Kakashi-kun' immediately set off alarm bells in his head. He was so afraid of the kunoichi right now even if she wasn't posing any sort of threat.

"Y-Yeah. I'll be there." Kakashi was definitely as nervous as he was right now.

"That's great. I have to go make sure that everything is ready for tonight so I will see you guys later. Don't make me come drag you out of your offices okay."

"Yes ma'am." Both ninja suddenly replied. Shizune silently exited the room leaving both ninja dumbstruck.

"Has Shizune always been that menacing?" Shikamaru asked Kakashi.

"Lady Tsunade warned me about Shizune. It's best not to get on her bad side. You can't fault her on her work ethic though. She gets things done, no questions asked." That was the truth. If you needed Shizune to do something for you then she would do it. Now he knew how Shizune would conduct herself if she approached someone as stubborn as he and the hokage.

"I think I should go continue my work then."

"I'll inform you if I have receive any news." The two ninja nodded again before Shikamaru left the room allowing the hokage to continue with his work. Shikamaru settled into his office then continued the work he stopped the previous morning when Kurenai and his mother interrupted him.

"Shikamaru." A voice made him break his concentration. He looked around his office to see who called his name but he didn't see anyone. He thought he was going crazy but then he saw the familiar miniature pug walking towards his desk.

"Pakkun." Shikamaru was surprised to the ninja dog. Usually Kakashi would only summon him when he needed help.  
"Is Kakashi in trouble?" Shikamaru quickly asked as Pakkun jumped onto his desk.

"No. Kakashi received a letter from Gaara and the Tsuchikage. He needs to see you." Pakkun informed him.

"Okay." Shikamaru stood up and Pakkun immediately jumped onto his shoulder then onto his head before making their way towards the Hokage's office. Shikamaru was surprisingly fine with it. Akamaru sat like that on his head once when they were genin. He fought it at first but then he was okay with it, until Akamaru urinated on him at least.

"You've gotten taller." Pakkun snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Can't really say the same for you."

"You haven't changed that attitude of yours it seems."

"Too troublesome."

"I get the feeling you don't like me."

"You bit me."

"Because you wouldn't get your ass up and help us. You also pulled my cheeks remember."

"I sacrificed myself to let you guys escape and go help Sasuke."

"Well that's true. Those were the good old days."

"Those days were such a drag." Shikamaru commented as they entered the Hokage's office.

"And these days aren't?"

"I'm sitting behind a desk working rather than going out and doing a mission. It's less dangerous."

"Well it's going to get a lot more troublesome for you now." Pakkun stated then jumped off Shikamaru's head and landed on Kakashi's desk. Shikamaru noticed the hokage studying the map on his desk.

"You wanted to see me." Kakashi immediately handed him two scrolls. He immediately unrolled the first one and read it. It was a scroll from the Kazekage. The letter basically said that they are dealing with a crisis of their own. A group of ninja went rogue and they would like some assistance in helping to catch them. The second letter was one from the Tsuchikage. That letter gave them permission to pursue the group of bandits and agreed to offer assistance where they could.  
"I thought you were offering a joint mission between the three nations. I can understand Gaara's response but I don't understand the Tsuchikage's response. He is giving us permission to hunt the bandits down in their nation while they only provide assistance instead of spearheading the mission."

"Onoki has never taken sides. He is stepping back to allow us to take control so if something goes wrong then we will be in the wrong and not him even if the incident takes place in his nation." Kakashi explained.

"He is just being cautious. The group of bandits did destroy a village in the wind nation and nearly destroyed one here in the fire nation." Pakkun was right. Anyone would tread carefully if the enemy was as organized as this group of bandits.

"He is getting ready for us to fail then." Shikamaru looked at the map that was sprawled out on the Hokage's desk. The situation didn't look very optimistic but he knew that if they failed then the Tsuchikage would be able to finished the mission.

"Then looking to capture the bandits when they escape; clean up our mess." Cleaning up someone else's mess, the best way to embarrass them.

"What if we don't give them a mess to clean up?" Pakkun and Kakashi looked at Shikamaru with confusion plastered on their faces.

"Are you talking about aborting the mission?" Pakkun asked.

"I'm talking about taking the fight to them for once. Sometimes the best defence is offence."

"How can we attack someone when we don't know where they are?" Pakkun was right. This was like blindfolding someone then telling them to hit a piñata except that this time they were wanted to protect the piñata and attack the people around it. They were blindfolded so they couldn't exactly see where the people were coming from.

"We don't know where they are but we know what their target is and we know what route they are most likely going to take. They are going to travel through the desert then cross the Land of Birds. They are going to have to restock their supplies so they would most likely stay a day there before continuing. That means they would have to cross the border to the Earth nation somewhere in the direction to the nearest village which would be here." He pointed to the closest circle to the border he drew on the map yesterday morning.

"That's still a lot of surface area that they could be. How do you plan on finding them?" Kakashi was definitely interested in this conversation right now.

"I don't think I will be able to sniff them out if I was in that area." He knew Pakkun was one of the best trackers in the ninja realm but he knew a team of trackers that would be perfect for this mission.

"Shino, Hinata, Kiba and Akamaru. The four of them can find the bandits. That area is mostly mountainous and dry so Kiba and Akamaru could easily sniff if there was a different scent in the air. Hinata could use her byakugan and look through the caves, boulders and mountain passes to see where they are. Shino can use his bugs and mark them then we can track them and take the fight to them when we are in a better position to do it." Shikamaru explained.

"You think you're ready to go on a mission?" He could hear the seriousness in Kakashi's tone.

"I have to be. I can't be here and make split second decisions there. You gave me this mission. I would like to see it through." Kakashi and Pakkun shared a look almost telepathically having a conversation before turning their attention back to the lazy genius.

"Looks like you really did grow up Shikamaru." Pakkun told him.

"Had to get up off my ass at some point. Couldn't count on you biting me all the time." Pakkun let out a small laugh as Shikamaru smiled at him.

"Who do you need to help you on the mission?" Kakashi asked.

"Besides the four of them, I would like Ino and Choji. I also want Naruto to be apart of the mission since he could make up the numbers we lack with his shadow clones. He also wouldn't want Hinata doing this mission without him being there to help her. The eight of us should be enough."

"Take Sakura with you guys as well. You might need a medic ninja." Sakura, he was able to forget about her whole day so far. Why did Kakashi have to bring her up right now?

"We have Hinata and Ino. The two of them have medical training so they should be able to patch us up until we can get to a hospital." Yeah, he didn't need Sakura on their mission. It's not that he didn't want Sakura on their mission; he just didn't want to be anywhere near Sakura right now. She hurt him and he didn't want to be around her.

"Hinata would be drained by using her byakugan and Ino needs to get inside one of their heads as soon as possible so that she can find out if there are more of them and where their bases are. Sakura can heal you guys quicker with more ease and she is a valuable asset in a fight." Why was Kakashi fighting so hard to have Sakura on his team? Couldn't he take the hint?

"She could be more useful in assisting Gaara in their hunt for the rogue ninjas. Their poison can be deadly if not treated in time." If he wanted Sakura to go on a mission then she can assist Gaara.

"Is there a reason why you don't want Sakura on your team?" Kakashi stared at him trying to figure out the reason why he didn't want Sakura on his team.

"No. I just think that it is a waste of resources, if I may put it like that. She could be more useful assisting Gaara. Is there a reason why you want Sakura on my team?"

"Shikamaru, don't question your hokage." Pakkun warned him.

"My apologies Hokage-sama." Shikamaru apologised. "You can add Sakura to my team then. Can I be excused? I have work to do."

"You may." Shikamaru walked out of the room frustrated by the hokage. He didn't want to see Sakura and now he was being forced to work with her for at least four days. He slammed the door to his office in frustration then took a breath hoping to forget about that and plan for the mission.  
He couldn't focus though. His head kept thinking about Sakura. This is what he was afraid of. He didn't want to be distracted because of her. This was a dangerous mission they were embarking on so he couldn't afford to be distracted by anything. Mistakes could end up in death.

"Emotions are troublesome." He muttered to himself. Sakura was just another shinobi he had to work with. That was all he wanted. She was nothing else. She wasn't the one his heart ached for. She wasn't his minds paradise. She wasn't his refuge. She wasn't the strength he needed to carry on. She wasn't the missing piece he needed to complete him. She just wasn't.  
But she was. She was all that and more. She was everything he needed. He just couldn't accept it. Women were just too troublesome. Everything was just too troublesome.

"So this is your office, pretty cool." Ino snapped him out of his thoughts. He looked up and saw her looking around his office. He didn't know why he had a door. Nobody bothered knocking anyway. Maybe he should just learn to lock it behind him. That way people couldn't just walk in whenever they wanted to.

"What's up Ino?" He stopped working and stretched as he looked at the blonde girl relaxing on one of the two seater couches now.

"Just waiting for everyone else to arrive. Apparently Kakashi has a mission for me and whoever else is coming. So, I didn't ask about you and Sakura this morning. What happened when you walked her home after dinner?" Damn, why did Ino have to bring that up?

"Nothing happened." He didn't want to end up starting gossip that would make things awkward for Sakura and him.

"That means something did happen. You got here very early and you were here whole day after that so you didn't sleep over by Sakura's house the night before." He didn't even want to know how Ino knew that. She had a way of getting information out of people without even using her jutsu. If only she could use that for something good then maybe he would open up to her.

"Nothing happened. If you want to talk to Sakura about it then be my guest."

"Come on Shikamaru. At least tell me what happened."

"Telling you is basically telling half the village." That was one hell of an understatement.

"I promise I won't tell anyone."

"Heard that one before."

"I really promise this time."

"That one too."

"I'm not lying."

"You should really come up with new lines every once in a while."

"Fuck you Shikamaru." He could see that he got the better of Ino just like Kakashi did with him.

"You wouldn't be the first." Ino's frustration was immediately swept away with that comment.

"Do tell." Shino suddenly appeared in the doorway with his usual attire blocking most of his face. He slowly knocked once on the door.

"Come in Shino. At least you had the decency to know even when the door was open." Shino was... different than everyone else. He kept to himself most of the time but one thing Shikamaru couldn't deny was that Shino was one hell of a shinobi.

"Not knocking before you enter the room is disrespectful." Shino's voice gave nothing away. Just a monotone voice throughout the sentence.

"Hear that Ino." Shikamaru turned to the Yamanaka.

"I'm your sister. I don't need to knock." He didn't know where Ino got her logic from but it didn't make sense to him at all.

"Have a seat Shino." The Aburame took a seat on the single couch adjacent to Ino's.

"Shino, do you think Shikamaru and Sakura would make a cute couple?" Ino literally had no boundaries. Maybe this is how she got her information.

"They would be a strong team. Shikamaru is a mid to long ranged fighter. If he can keep the enemy immobilised long enough then Sakura could take down their opponent." He never thought about it like that. They would actually make a strong team. Both of them were intelligent and performed well under pressure. Shikamaru's ability would go well with all the girls though. If he immobilised the enemy then Hinata could easily hit his chakra points, Ino could easily use her mind transfer jutsu and Tenten could hit the enemy with one of her weapons. It wasn't just Sakura.

"See, even Shino supports you guys." Ino definitely wasn't going to drop this now.

"You're taking Shino's words way out of context." He pointed out.

"Am I, Shino?" Ino's sweet voice wasn't fooling anyone, especially not the two males in the room.

"Yes." Shino's blunt answer should've killed Ino's confidence but the blonde still had a triumphant smile on her face.

"I don't care. I heard what I heard." Ino was stubborn as hell.

"So this is where the party is." Suddenly Shikamaru's office was filled with his friends. He didn't think all of them could fit but somehow they did. Sakura sat down on the couch next to Ino while Naruto and Hinata sat down on the other couch before Tenten squeezed in next to them forcing Hinata and Naruto closer to each other. Kiba took the last single couch with Akamaru sitting down obediently next to him. The rest of the guys all stood around the office.

"You guys do know that Kakashi was the one that summoned you and not me." Shikamaru pointed out.

"You're more fun than Kakashi is." Tenten had no problem voicing her opinion. His door was open so he was sure that Kakashi could hear but Tenten was one of those girls who didn't care what people thought about her because she would tell them exactly what she thought about them.

"Aren't you like the second in command or something like that?" Kiba's guess was as good as his.

"It's good to see you back at work Shikamaru." Lee gave him an enthusiastic thumbs up. Where Lee got his energy from was beyond him. He always seemed to have too much energy. Even when he was sick then he would have too much energy. It was irritating.

"Guys, Kakashi is waiting for all of you." Shizune told them as she stood in the doorway. They slowly piled their way out of Shikamaru's office and made their way to to the Hokage's office where Izumo, Kotetsu and Genma were already waiting. Shikamaru was surprised to see the three older ninja. He worked with all three of them on separate missions so he knew that they were extremely capable ninja. Hell, Genma was a Special Jounin. Kotetsu and Izumo had arguably the best duo chemistry in the village.

"Good afternoon to all of you." Kakashi greeted them.

"Good afternoon Hokage-sama." Came the response with a bow.

"I'm assigning all of you missions. Both missions will have you departing from here early tomorrow morning. Shikamaru Nara and Genma Shiranui, please step forward." The two ninja immediately made their way to either side of Kakashi's desk then turned to face their comrades.  
"They will be the team captains. Tenten, Lee, Sai, Izumo and Kotetsu will leave with Genma and head to the Wind Nation. Ino, Choji, Hinata, Shino, Kiba, Akamaru, Naruto and Sakura will go with Shikamaru to the Earth Nation. Genma's team will be apart of a joint mission between our two nations and assist the Kazekage in hunting down a team of rogue ninja in the Wind Nation. Shikamaru's team have been given permission by the Tsuchikage to hunt down the group of bandits that have been destroying villages in both the Wind and Fire Nations."

"Kakashi-sensei, may I join Genma's team?" Shikamaru knew Naruto would want to help Gaara. The two of them were great friends so he would do anything to help his friend if he needed it.

"Shikamaru needs you in his team." Why did Kakashi have to put the blame on Shikamaru? Shikamaru really didn't want to deal with Naruto right now and neither did Kakashi it seemed. Unfortunately, Naruto's attention switched to Shikamaru begging for an explanation.

"I don't have a good reason. I need you for your shadow clones basically. The group of bandits out number us nearly 6-1. With your shadow clones, we will be able to lessen that amount. If you want to go hunt down the small group of rogue ninjas with Gaara rather than help us take down the large group of bandits responsible for killing over 70 men, women, children and elderly people then you're welcomed to go with Genma-san." If Naruto still wanted to leave after that guilt trip then Shikamaru really couldn't support Naruto's mission to become Hokage. He understood Naruto's desire and passion to keep his friends safe and help them wherever he could but a Hokage protects his people first above all else.

"6-1 odds. Are you sure about that Shikamaru?" Kakashi looked at him quizzically for some reason. The hokage knew all the information he knew so he should know that Shikamaru wasn't lying.

"I know that it isn't less than that."

"You stopped their last attack. They are bound to regroup and get reinforcements. Your odds are most likely to be 8-1 by now." Kakashi wasn't wrong. If they did get reinforcements then this would be a hell of a lot worse than he expected it to be.

"Hokage-sama, are you sure you want to send my team to assist Gaara instead of helping Shikamaru's team?" The guilt trip certainly worked on Genma it seemed. Naruto didn't say a word but Shikamaru could see the worried look in the blue eyes of his friend.

"Your team needs to help Gaara. Does anyone want to change teams?" No one spoke up. "Genma; you and your team will head to Sunagakure at dawn and await further instructions from the Kazekage there. Shikamaru, explain your plan to us."  
Shikamaru then began explaining the situation they found themselves in and the Tsuchikage's actions to his team. He then told them the route they were going to travel and his plan once they reached the Earth Nation. It was as detailed as he could manage without seeing the land first hand. He surprised himself by how well thought out and simple yet sophisticated his plan was.

"That's basically it. Obviously I will need to adjust it to a certain degree once we reach the Earth Nation but that is the heart of the plan." Shikamaru ended.

"Won't we be too late?" There was the timing issue. The way Shikamaru calculated it, there would be just in time.

"If we manage to get to the Earth Nation in two days, we will only be one day behind. If they took a day to rest then that would mean that they were going to attack the next night. We should already be in the village by that time so we can go stop them before they even reach the village." He hoped that he was right. Everything was against them. It would be a miracle if they pulled it off successfully.

"Everyone know what the plan is?" Kakashi asked them.

"Yes sir." They agreed.

"I wish all of you good luck then. Dismissed."

"Great. Now we can all go together to the party together." Shizune happily announced.

"We can only stay for one drink then we have to get back to our post Shizune." Izumo announced with sadness in his voice as they followed Shizune out of the room. Shikamaru managed to manoeuvre himself to the back of the group where Kakashi and Genma were walking.

"This is your first mission after the war. Shouldn't you have chosen a much easier mission Shikamaru?" He knew Genma's concern was because he cared about Shikamaru rather than jealousy or any other motive. Genma and Shikaku worked closely especially when it came to issues regarding the Hokage's protection and an attack on the village. Maybe this was Genma's way of honouring his former comrade; by protecting his son.

"If I wanted easy then I shouldn't have become a shinobi." Genma's smile told Shikamaru that he knew all too well what the shadow ninja meant. His senbon in his mouth shifting slightly as he nodded in approval. The large group exited the building allowing the fresh air to surround them while a slight breeze fought its way through them.

"Bring it!" Naruto challenged someone. If Shikamaru had to guess; Kiba, Naruto, Lee and Choji were probably challenging each other to some stupid game again. They were troublesome.

"That's not what he meant Naruto!" Ino's louder voice toppled Naruto's. She probably started this disagreement in the first place. The group stopped and Shikamaru allowed the Hokage and Genma to sort it out since Kotetsu and Izumo were surprisingly trying to chat up Shizune. He shouldn't be surprised by that. Shizune was beautiful, any guy in the village would kill to be by her side.  
Kakashi and Genma easily defused the situation for now but Shikamaru knew that they were far from finished. They began walking again but this time Shikamaru found himself alone at the back of the crowd. Just he and his thoughts thankfully dwelling in the rowdy silence of the village; that was until her voice broke through.

"Shikamaru." He couldn't miss the pink hair blossoming their way into his vision.

"Hey." He greeted the kunoichi.

"I just want to say that I am not going to let our problems affect the mission. We don't need to be friends but that doesn't mean our ability to work together should suffer." He didn't expect Sakura to go this route but he knew it was for the best. Keep things professional between them, he could do that.

"I agree."


	11. Chapter 11

**HEY GUYS AND GIRLS. HERE'S ANOTHER CHAPTER I GUESS. I SHOULD EDIT IT BUT IT'S SUCH A DRAG AND YOU GUYS AND GIRLS KNOW MY STUPID MISTAKES ALREADY SO YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO READ PAST IT RIGHT? ANYWAY, DON'T HATE THIS CHAPTER TOO MUCH. MY FACTS MIGHT BE WRONG BUT IT'S MY STORY SO IT'S RIGHT TO ME.**

 **HAPPY READING:)**

"Hey." Shikamaru greeted the cryptanalyst.

"Shikamaru... um, hi." Her blush began plaguing her face as her nerves took over her again. Shikamaru hated that about her. He didn't understand why she became so nervous around him. He was just another stupid guy. Maybe his reputation scared her.

"How have you been?" He took a seat by the table she was sitting at and settled himself into the conversation taking a sip of the strong drink he had been nursing for a couple of minutes. Her personality irritated him a little but he couldn't deny that her intelligence is one of the highest in the village right now. Probably more so than Shikamaru's.

"Good." Her response was quick, way too quick. Her nerves were getting the better of her again. She took a sip of her drink trying to hide her embarrassment. Shikamaru could see that it was her first drink of the night. He noticed she only came into the bar less than half an hour ago, working late as usual, and from the small sips she was taking, he could safely assume that it was her first drink.

"Any interesting cases you're working on? Maybe I could help when I come back from my mission." He seemed to be the one leading the conversation since she didn't look like she was comfortable doing so herself.

"No you're busy so I understand." Maybe if she slowed down her speech then he could understand her.

"I'm never too busy to help you. Unlike most people in this bar right now, you were actually great to work with." She didn't reply. What was wrong with her? Was it something he said? Did he do something to her that he didn't know about? What was it with her?  
"Shiho, did I do something wrong?"

"No. You did nothing wrong." She energetically answered him then readjusted her swirl-tinted glasses.

"Why are you so nervous then?" Her usual upbeat and energetic self disappeared only to be completely replaced by the irritatingly quiet version of her personality.

"I'm not nervous." She forced a smile on her face.

"Hm." He wasn't convinced but he decided to drop it. He didn't mind the silence between them. He took a sip his drink and felt it burning its way down his throat.

"Frankly, if I may, I don't think you should be going out on missions." Her sudden statement was strong and bold.

"If I am being honest, I don't think I should be going on missions as well. I don't think I will ever be ready." He felt comfortable opening up to her for some reason. Maybe it was because she was as intelligent as he was.

"You will get there one day." Was every female optimistic or did they just have too much faith in him?

"One day is a little too late."

"Are you okay?" She reached her hand out and put it on his shoulder. He could tell that she really was concerned about him.

"Yeah." He gave her an honest smile in return hopefully decreasing her worried heart a little. "Sorry I ruined the mood. This is supposed to be a celebration right?"

"It's okay." She retracted her arm and settled back into her seat.

"A toast." he offered as he raised his glass and she followed his lead. "A brighter future."

"A brighter future." She repeated then gentle knocked their glasses together before taking a sip of their respective drinks. She looked at him and began giggling a little which bothered Shikamaru a little.

"What's funny?"

"Nothing. I just haven't seen you out of an office like this frankly."

"I could say the same for you."

"I guess we work too much. Aren't you supposed to be lazy though?"

"I am lazy. I just have a goal that I need to achieve."

"What is it?" She was fully engulfed in this conversation right now. Her shyness completely a forgotten memory he hoped. "I hope I am not overstepping here." Nope, it was back.

"It's okay." He gave her a reassuring smile. "My goal is to make things better for the next generation so that they can live the way they want to."

"Frankly, sounds like a job for an hokage." She was definitely hinting at him becoming the next hokage. Honestly, he had thought about it on more than one occasion and many people had told him that he would be a great hokage. Hell, even Asuma believed it. The only reason he didn't want to become the hokage was because he didn't want to deal with the responsibilities that entailed. He wondered if Naruto knew what being the hokage really meant.

"Don't bet on me becoming the hokage in this lifetime or any other lifetime any time soon." He couldn't help but smile along with Shiho. She was surprisingly great to hangout with.

"Shikamaru, tell dog boy here that you need me more for the mission." Naruto and Kiba weren't drunk yet but he could tell that they were nearing their limits. He irritatingly looked at the pair that interrupted his conversation with Shiho. If they weren't his friends then he would've sent them packing immediately.

"I think you've been using too much of that toad oil that it's affecting your brain froggy. Shikamaru needs me to find the bad guys and take them down. You're just there for entertainment." Why did they always have to be at each other's throats? Couldn't they just hangout like normal friends? This was probably one of the smaller reasons Sasuke didn't want to come back to the village; Naruto's intense rivalry was too much. At least Naruto found someone who was just as competitive as he was; Kiba.

"What did you say dog breath? That's why you can't get a girlfriend, your breath stinks too much." This reminded him too much of Ino and Sakura's relationship. There just was no line they couldn't cross with each other.

"This is your future hokage and one of his best friends." Shikamaru whispered to Shiho causing them to chuckle.

"I heard we were having a party!" Lady Tsunade's entrance couldn't have been more extravagant. If anyone missed her coming into the bar then they must've been really drunk.

"Hey granny Tsunade!" Naruto waved at the fifth hokage from where he was standing.

"I told you to stop calling me that Naruto!" He was sure Lady Tsunade didn't have a drink yet but her temper was way too high right now. Why did they have to shout across the bar anyway? Couldn't they be like normal people and just go to each other and talk?

"Lady Tsunade. I thought you had surgeries to do tonight." Shizune clearly didn't invite her master. Maybe it was because of her master's insane drinking tendencies. More troublesome women.

"I just came to have a drink with Shikamaru to celebrate his new job." Lady Tsunade definitely didn't have a drink yet or else she wouldn't have come up with such a good excuse.

"Lady Tsunade, why are you here?!" Sakura definitely did have more than a couple of drinks the way she was shouting. Guess she picked up more than just her medical prowess from her mentor.

"I'm here to celebrate! Who are you to question me?" He never knew Lady Tsunade was this troublesome even when she wasn't drunk. He did know first hand not to irritate the female hokage. She was scared the hell out of him.

"If all three of us are here then who is running the hospital?" Shizune asked.

"Not me." Lady Tsunade said as she poured herself a drink then handed the bottle back to the bartender.

"That's your former hokage and her assistant." Shiho whispered back to Shikamaru again causing them to chuckle.

"I'll go." Sakura offered. Not one of her best decisions.

"You can't even walk straight." Ino pointed out. She wasn't wrong. Sakura unsteadily stood up so walking would kind of be out of the question. He never ever saw Sakura like this. The sun hadn't completely set but she was already drunk. He knew she was better than that so he wondered why she was drinking so much.

"Shut up pig!" Another rivalry sparking. Naruto vs Kiba, Lady Tsunade vs Shizune and now Ino vs Sakura. Who's next, Shino vs Choji?

"Sit your stupid ass down forehead!" Couldn't tonight just be a normal night out drinking with friends? Looking at how 'normal' drinking nights were with them, he should've expected this.

"Both of you shut up! You're being too loud!" Kiba shouted from across the room. If Shikamaru didn't come out of this bar with a headache then it would be a miracle.

"Stop shouting then as well!" Why did Naruto have to shout at Kiba when they were literally standing right next to each other?

"All four of you shut the hell up!" Lady Tsunade said as she drained her glass then motioned for the bartender to fill it up again.

"Go back to work granny!" If they didn't stop shouting soon he swore he was going to leave.

"This electrifying energy in this place is the power of youth!" Lee's outburst grabbed everyone's attention. He was something else completely. Sai stood next to him with a blank expression on his face as usual but Shikamaru could only imagine what he thought about shouting happening in the usually peaceful bar.

"Everyone just shut up!" Shizune shouted. Everyone was too surprised to reply. They actually managed to push Shizune to the point she had no other way than to say that. It wasn't uncommon but she usually kept a level head even in situations like these.  
"I am going to go make sure that the hospital doesn't blow up so don't burn down this place while I'm gone." That went without saying didn't it?

"You can count on us Shizune-san." Lee's optimism was second to none right now. He gave her a thumbs up and a huge smile but Shizune really didn't look impressed. Shizune hurriedly rushed out of the bar and everyone surprisingly calmed down and went back to their original conversations.

"Hey bushy brow..." Naruto and Kiba thankfully left the two geniuses and made their way to their next destination; Lee. Shino was standing close to Lee but even he began moving to a different place when Naruto and Kiba approached Lee and Sai.

"They're gone at least." Shikamaru turned his attention back Shiho resuming their conversation. "So what do you think about the future prospects of our village with the likes of Naruto as hokage?"

"Is this your idea of small talk?" Her playful yet challenging tone didn't go unnoticed.

"We were discussing me being the next possible hokage; I was just trying to get your view on Naruto being the next hokage."

"With you by his side, I am sure he will be a great hokage."

"You give me too much credit."

"Frankly, not undeserving."

"What did I do to deserve your praise?"

"Nothing... I um... you're smart." Her stutter told him something else. She readjusted her glasses again as her blush returned. How could he not feel attracted to her? She was gentle, caring, uncomplicated, upbeat and a freaking genius. Unlike other girls, she wasn't troublesome so why the hell did he not feel any romantic attraction to her? She was everything he wanted. He hated himself for not feeling anything for the blonde genius.

"So are you. I'm pretty sure people would argue that you are smarter." He took the last sip of his drink emptying the glass.

"Those people are idiots then."

"I guess I am one of those idiots." His smile made her cheeks switch to a deeper shade of red. "It was great catching up with you Shiho. I have to go talk to some other people so I guess I will see you around."

"Yeah. Be careful on your mission tomorrow."

"If I get injured and I can't be a ninja anymore then you can bet I'll be applying for a job working alongside you." He stood up then gave her a nod before leaving her. His glass was empty so he decided to make his way to the bar. He noticed that Choji was sitting around the table with the rest of his male classmates. He could see that there was one empty bottle on the table between them and Kiba was busy with the second bottle already. He ignored them then handed his glass to the bartender and he immediately refilled it with the burning beverage he had before.

"Drink for one, your blonde bimbo tired of you already?" He could never forget Sakura's voice. He grabbed his drink then turned his attention to the pink haired kunoichi next to him.

"This celebration was thrown for me; I didn't want it to seem like I don't care by just spending my time with Shiho." It was inevitable that they were going to talk again sometime tonight and now felt like the right time to get it over and done with.

"Or she rejected you." Sakura smirked as she drained her glass then handed it to the bartender.

"At least she would've told it straight to my face instead of running away." Her smirked instantly faded and he could see that she was holding something back.  
"Don't dish it out when you can't take it back." He left her with that. He made his way past her leaving her to think about that. He didn't want to treat her like that but he couldn't shove what she did to the side. He liked her no matter what but he wasn't going to give her a chance when she wasn't sure what she really wanted.

"Shikamaru, have a second?" Kakashi immediately got his attention as he passed their table. He didn't have any destination in mind so he didn't bother putting up a fight. He stopped by the hokage sitting next to Lady Tsunade.

"What's wrong?" Shikamaru immediately ran through the list of possibilities in his head. If the former hokage and the current hokage were sitting together and talking then something really bad must've happened right?

"Nothings wrong. Just wanted to know if you're going to have a problem working with Sakura." He thought he had this conversation with Kakashi already. Sakura was going to be on his team, he accepted it. Why bring it up again?

"No problem. We can work together." He hoped he was right. He didn't need there to be any awkwardness right now.

"Then why is she walking over here right now like she is ready to kill you?" Lady Tsunade asked him immediately making him look over his shoulder confirming her students war path leading straight to him.

"Excuse us." Sakura told the two Kage before grabbing Shikamaru's arm, dragging him along outside the bar. The night sky was clear with a perfect view of the moon. The temperature was nearly freezing which was probably why he didn't see anyone in the streets. Sakura led him around the corner probably so that no one in the bar could see them.

"What do you want with me Sakura?" He getting irritated by her now. Who couldn't she just leave him alone?

"We're going to settle this now; once and for all." Her statement was bold and she had a look in her eyes that informed Shikamaru that she wasn't going to let him leave without settling this tension between them. She stood right in front of him with her arms crossed over her chest ready for whatever Shikamaru was going to throw at her and if she wanted him to be honest then he would be.  
"I know I hurt you and I am truly sorry for that. I don't want to hurt, I want to be with you and you know it. I don't deserve to get it thrown in my face. I'm not perfect, I make mistakes."

"So kissing me was a mistake now."

"This is what I am talking about. You're stupid and stubborn and irritating and exhausting. What don't you get? I want you and no one else. Kissing you wasn't a mistake; running away and telling you that I don't want to be in a relationship was."

"Then why do you keep tensing up? What are you not telling me?"

"That doesn't matter. That's my problem. I want you and I know you feel the same way about me. Tell me now that I am wrong and we will never have this conversation again. We'll forget about everything that happened this week. We can forget to ever like each other like you want."

"I don't want that. I want you too Sakura..." She immediately latched her hands onto his clothes bringing his head lower so that she could collide her mouth with his. The impact was sudden and forceful but he quickly melted into the kiss bringing his hands around her waist pulling her body closer to his. Their lips locking into a battle that they never wanted to finish. Their mouths briefly opened allowing their tongues to enter the battle sliding over each other. Her hands snaked around his neck pulling him deeper into the kiss while his arms wrapped around her smaller yet sturdier frame bringing them closer to each other. Their bodies pushed against each other while their mouths pleasured each other.  
Shikamaru immediately ran his hands down her back then briefly stopped them on her plump butt slowly feeling his way around them before going down to her firm thighs. He gently grabbed them then lifted her up allowing her to wrap her legs around his waist. They didn't break the kiss as he slowly made his way to the wall of the bar and gently pressed Sakura against it using the smooth stone wall as leverage while he made out with her.  
He needed this. He needed her but not like this. They came out here to settle things so they couldn't be making out and pushing the problem away. He knew that if they didn't figure this out now then they were better off not having a relationship.

"What are you not telling me Sakura?" His voice was low and deep since his lips were only a whisper away from hers. Her breaths danced on his lips inviting him once more but he couldn't do it. He needed answers.

"That doesn't matter."

"It does matter. You know how I feel about you. I want you just as badly as you want me but if you are hiding things from me then I can't be with you. You need to figure this out and decide if being in a relationship with me is worth it or not." He slowly let her down on the ground but lingered a little before he released her. His body immediately missing the warmth she provided against him. This was all up to her now. If she thought he was worth it then she would tell him. If not, he gets the message loud and clear.

"Okay everyone, listen up." Shikamaru announced the next morning once he and his team gathered in front of the village gates. Genma and his team were long gone but it was still early enough for Shikamaru and his team to make it to their first destination before sundown.  
"We need to make it to the Land of Grass before nightfall so we will travel quickly but carefully. It might be a time of peace but there are still enemies out there."

"We get it Shikamaru. What's the plan?" Ino was always so crude with him when he began explaining things but he knew that she was doing it so that he didn't say any unnecessary things. For someone so lazy, he gave uncharacteristically long speeches at times.

"Kiba, Akamaru and Shino in front looking out for any dangers ahead of us, Sakura and Ino in the middle relaying information between the rest of the group, Naruto and Hinata at the back making sure that no one is trailing us, Choji and I will take up the flanks. If anyone sees something then everyone stops and checks it out. Everyone got that?"

"Yes." Came the resounding answer.

"Let's go." They took their positions then followed Kiba, Akamaru and Shino's lead jumping from tree to tree trying to move as quickly as they could. They knew that they had a lot of ground to make up today so they had no other choice but to power through. The air around them was still too cold for Shikamaru's liking but their movement kept them warm enough. He hoped that it got warmer the closer they got to the Land of Grass and ultimately the Earth Nation.  
He decided to snap out of his thoughts and scan the area around him. He found himself on the left flank with Choji on the opposite side of the group. He couldn't really see anything unusual. They weren't that high up in the trees so he could still see the ground perfectly. Rather boring if he was being honest but he knew that boring was best right now.  
He looked at the rest of the group to see their conditions after the party last night. Kakashi ended the party early because of the missions this morning so they should all be good but if he knew his friends then he knew that they had an after party somewhere. He went home after the initial party so he was okay. Everyone else seemed to be a great condition as well so he didn't need to worry about that.  
His eyes immediately latched onto the person directly next to him; Sakura. They hadn't spoken to each other since the party last night so nothing had changed; well nothing had changed on his side. He was open and honest with her so it was up to her right now. He broke their eye contact and looked straight ahead of him rather. It was better if he stayed focused on the mission now anyway. He couldn't afford to be distracted.

After two hours of travelling, he allowed them to take a break. They were still in the Fire Nation but Shikamaru slightly adjusted their direction. The path they were on would be leading them to the Land of Rain before the Land of Grass. It didn't help that those two smaller nations were so close to each other as well. The Land of Rain had signed an agreement after the war agreeing to work together with the five great nations but Shikamaru was still weary of them. The government might agree to it but the people of that nation had suffered heavy losses because of the bigger nations so they could still be harbouring unsaid hatred and might decide to unleash it on his team. It's better to be safe than sorry. The Land of Grass and the Fire Nation always had a good relationship so he trusted them more than the Land of Rain. Once they hydrated themselves and had a quick snack to replenish their energy, they set off again. He decided to let them take a break every two hours until they reached their destination.

They finally reached the extraordinarily high grass beyond the Konohan forests so they knew they were in the Land of Grass. Shikamaru ordered them to slow down since anyone could be hiding in the thick grass which provided perfect cover. The initial grass took him to his waist but as they went further into the region the grass began rising up his body and at times he couldn't see over the grass. He had to rely on Kiba and Akamaru's exceptional sense of smell and Hinata's byakugan to lead them and warn them if there was an enemy nearby. He didn't need to weary of that since the Land of Grass was a neutral nation but again, better safe than sorry. They finally emerged from the grass and could see their destination in sight; Kusagakure.

"Finally." Naruto's voiced the relief that all of them were feeling right now. Shikamaru definitely felt a burden being lifted off his shoulders. He could finally see again and help protect his team better even though they would probably be the ones that ended up protecting him.

"Let's go find a place to stay for the night." Shikamaru ordered the group. Kusagakure was a minimum ninja protected village concealed by the huge grass and jungles scattered around the small nation. Most of the buildings in the village are constructed out of thatch and wood which were built low into the ground making it difficult to see thanks to the high grass.

"Shinobi from Konohagakure." Their attention was stolen by a group of three Kusagakure ninja headed towards them as they were about to enter the village. The three ninja didn't look like much but he didn't want to pick a fight with them right now. They might be weaker than Shikamaru's team but Shikamaru knew first hand that it was not about strength alone but rather about how well you used your strength and right now they were at a disadvantage since this was their playing field.  
"What business do you have here?" A boy with spiky brown hair covered by a brown bandanna spoke to them. He was clearly the leader of their team. Shikamaru took a breath then approached him.

"Shikamaru Nara, head of the Nara Clan and advisor to the sixth hokage. My team and I are heading to the Earth Nation on a mission to stop the group of bandits destroying villages in our nations." Shikamaru handed the ninja in front of him a scroll that Kakashi had given him before they left. The ninja in front of him analysed the scroll but Shikamaru couldn't help but size him up. He was just a little shorter than the lazy ninja but definitely looked like he had more muscle than Shikamaru.

"Kumo, Kimo; escort these shinobi to the ninja hall. They're our guests so give them a room." The ninja ordered them as he rolled up the scroll but didn't hand it back. Shikamaru didn't get a chance to read the scroll himself so he didn't know what was written on it but he hoped it wasn't something troublesome.

"Yes sir." Both ninja behind him bowed.

"Guys, follow them." Shikamaru instructed his team.

"Are you sure Shikamaru?" Naruto's concern for Shikamaru was genuine and Shikamaru appreciated it.

"I'm sure. Make sure you eat something then get some rest. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow." They nodded their head in agreement then began following the two Kusa ninja.

"Let's go." Shikamaru followed the ninja as he led the shadow ninja into the flourishing city. The village was rustic but it had a great energy to it. He greeted a few of the villagers who happily returned his greeting. The temperature was warm but soothing. He didn't feel like he was getting too hot and he definitely wasn't getting cold like he was in Konoha. This place was perfect for him. He could laze around on top of the buildings and bath in the sun. He loved it here. A simple life.  
"In here." His attention was then directed to the biggest building in the village. It looked like the other structures but just a lot wider and a little taller. Shikamaru entered the building and was surprised to see the sophisticated elegance that was present inside. The rustic features were clearly just to blend in with the environment.

"Thank you for bringing him Kusa." the voice came from a boy that looked no older than Shikamaru was. He was definitely smaller though but that didn't diminish his overwhelming presence in the room. The ninja that escorted him handed the scroll over to the smaller male then bowed before leaving the building. Kusa, he'll remember that name.  
"I am Yagamaru, the next village chief."

"I am Shikamaru Nara, head of the Nara Clan and advisor to the sixth hokage." He introduced himself again but bowed this time. "If I may ask, where is the current village chief?"

"My mother is resting. She is recovering from a nasty illness."

"I wish her all the best." He replied with another small bow.

"Thank you very much. Follow me." He led them to what looked like the village hall. "It's late and you must be tired from your long journey so I will make this quick." He motioned for Shikamaru to take a seat on the opposite side of the table. Shikamaru complied and took a seat before Yagamaru took a seat as well.

"What is this all about?" Shikamaru really didn't know what was going on right now. Did this have something to do with the scroll?

"One of the conditions for the alliance between our two nations." Shikamaru heard about that before but he didn't think anything of it. Kusagakure and Konohagakure had always had good relations so it was expected that they would help each other in times of need. He didn't know that the help came with conditions.

"Go ahead then." He didn't know what he was going to hear but he was prepared for anything. He didn't spend his time fooling around in his office the past couple of days so it would definitely pay off right now.

"There was a small uprising amongst some of the clans in Sunagakure again. Gaara easily dealt with it with no casualties. It seems that he has the support of the shinobi in the nation now, however, some of the older clans still have their reservations about him being the Kazekage and might try to rebel again." This he definitely was prepared for. Politics and intelligence, his forte.

"That is too be expected. The older members of Sunagakure, especially the older shinobi who served under the Kazekage before Gaara, would not approve of the proposed alliances between the five great nations. They will always try to convince Gaara to focus on improving their military status so that they can force the other great nations into submission rather than allowing them to grow with each other." He admired Gaara's resilience in not giving in to their demands but at what cost. The more he denied their requests, the stronger their hatred would become. At some point or other, he would have to compromise or risk losing their support and help completely.

"True. Hopefully it doesn't come to that. As far as Kumogakure is concerned, the Raikage has been focusing on improving their defences and military strength. The exact reasons for that is unknown but it does not seem that it is for malicious purposes. There have been no major developments happening in Iwagakure and Kirigakure. Their village's are protected by the surrounding natural geography so they have no need to increase their defences or military tactics. They have been able to increase trade from other villages and form better alliances." Shikamaru was really impressed by the resourcefulness of this small nation. They were able to gather intelligence from four of the five great nations. They might be a small nation but they were definitely big on information.

"That is good to hear. How has this village been?" If they were able to gather so much information from other villages then that should mean that this village was doing great right?

"We've been growing slowly but steadily again. Lady Tsunade really helped us rebuild after Orochimaru destroyed the village so we are grateful to her and the rest of the shinobi of Konohagakure. With the supplies that your Hokage has just provided us, I am certain that we can expand now and bring Kusagakure back to its former glory." So that was what was in the scroll. "Who knows, maybe we can join your chunin exams again soon. We won't go easy on you though just because you helped us out." His smile was challenging but playful. Shikamaru felt that he could trust Yagamaru. There was just something about him that made Shikamaru feel optimistic for the future again.

"We won't be going easy on you guys as well just because we feel sorry for you." Their light laughter brought a comfort to the tension between them.

"I look forward to working with you Nara-sama." Yagamaru stood up and gave Shikamaru a bow.

"I look forward to working with you as well." Shikamaru returned the bow when he stood up as well.

"Good luck for the rest of your mission." Shikamaru nodded in agreement then turned around to leave the building. He felt relieved that everything was going smoothly so far. He knew that sooner or later things were going to go sideways but there was only so much planning he could do.

"I'll escort you to where your friends are." Kusa startled him. The ninja was well hidden in the elongated shadows created by the setting sun. He then began following Kusa through the town and Shikamaru could see why Yagamaru wanted to expand the town. Everything felt a little too cramped. It was prefect but more space was necessary for comfort.  
Shikamaru read about Kusagakure once. It was a huge village that was invaded by Iwagakure during the Third Shinobi War and became a stronghold for them. After the war ended then Orochimaru built one of his compounds in the village but then he kidnapped Karin from this village and destroyed. From what Yagamaru told him now, Lady Tsunade helped them rebuild and Kakashi was continuing it. Maybe Lady Tsunade felt guilty because Orochimaru was the one that destroyed the village. He didn't quite understand their relationship but he knew that their bond was irreplaceable.

"Do all of the shinobi in this village have nicknames?" Shikamaru's question startled the Kusa-nin for a moment before he regained his composure.

"What makes you think we have nicknames?" Kusa was certainly going to make it difficult for Shikamaru.

"Yagamaru is pretty normal compared to Kusa, Kumo and Kimo. Our ANBU also have names according to their mask so it's highly likely that Kusa is your nickname." Shikamaru was confident in his analysis. It wasn't a big issue but it was a way to gain mutual respect between the two ninja. They might come from different villages but their paths might cross again one day.

"I guess the Nara Clan really is as intelligent as they say." There it was, the bond of mutual respect amongst the two shinobi. He indirectly answered Shikamaru's question as well.

"Saying that ninja from Kusagakure are resourceful is an understatement. Your intelligence is much more useful."

"Can I see your jutsu?" Not an unusual request. Hell, Naruto did it to nearly all the ninja he met.

"Sure?" Shikamaru decided to activate his jutsu without the use of his hand signs. He might respect the ninja but he didn't trust him enough to reveal the process. Shikamaru made his shadow rise from the ground but stop comfortably in front of Kusa.  
"The Nara Clan's shadow manipulation and my own shadow stitching allowing me to lift my shadow off any surface." His shadow returned back to his body as Kusa observed him.

"Definitely impressive up close. Thank you Nara-sama." Kusa bowed.

"Please, call me Shikamaru." He felt uncomfortable that people called him that when he wasn't acting in a professional capacity.

"Okay Shikamaru." Kusa agreed then stopped in front of a building then walked in. Both ninja stopped dead in their tracks when they saw Ino, Kiba, Kumo and Kimo balancing a cup of water between their foreheads. The floor was littered with what looked like sand, broken bricks and broken pieces of wood.

"Kusa-sama." Kumo and Kimo immediately stopped and stood at attention letting the glass drop to the ground and shatter with the water spilling everywhere.

"Yes, we win." Ino chanted as she grabbed the glass and placed it on the table.

"What the hell is going on here?" Shikamaru felt agitated by their behaviour. He was surprised that Naruto wasn't to blame though. Maybe he was finally growing up.

"It was Naruto's idea." Kiba quickly stated. Well maybe he was wrong about Naruto.

"They started it." Naruto defended himself.

"I don't care. All of you will clean this mess up before you go sleep." Shikamaru ordered them. It felt weird for him to be ordering them around. Hell, he felt like he should be joining them.

"Kumo, Kimo; you guys will do a double shift tonight." He didn't know what Kusa meant by 'double shift' but it sounded like a lot more work for them to do.

"Yes sir." They couldn't sound any less happier about that than they did.

"Troublesome." Shikamaru muttered as he sighed then exited the building. At least it was a beautiful sunset.


	12. Chapter 12

**HEY GUYS AND GIRLS. THIS STORY HAS BEEN ONE WEIRD ROLLERCOASTER BUT I FEEL LIKE IT IS FAR FROM OVER BUT SO IS LIFE. IF YOU THINK THAT LIFE IS FINALLY WORTH LIVING THEN YOU MUST BE STUCK IN MADARA'S JUTSU (MY ADVICE: STAY THERE, LIFE SUCKS). THIS CHAPTER IS ANOTHER PART ON THIS STUPID ROLLERCOASTER SO WE MIGHT REACH A HIGHER POINT OR WE MIGHT DROP LIKE ROCK, HELL, WE MIGHT EVEN TAKE A TURN AND END UP SOMEWHERE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. LET'S FIND OUT.**

 **HAPPY READING:)**

"This place doesn't look like it's under attack." Kiba said once the group reached the peaceful village in the Earth Nation the next day. It was the perfect layout for the group of bandits; minimum ninja presence, minimum defence, high quality structures, fertile land.

"That's good. It means that we made it here before they did." He felt relieved that they did. Now the village actually stood a chance and they had a better chance of completing the mission without any hiccups. Somehow he still had this nagging feeling that his luck had run out and it was just waiting for the worst possible moment to tell him.

"What do we do now?" He knew that Ino was waiting to hear that they could go find a place to rest or to eat but their mission only just began.

"Now we scout the area." You couldn't be too ready right?

"Seriously Shikamaru?" Naruto was definitely as hopeful as Ino was.

"Stop complaining. It's a small village, shouldn't take us long."

"Yeah idiot. We are here to work so stop complaining." Kiba literally used any opportunity to attack Naruto. There rivalry was something else. He was definitely the rival Naruto looked for.

"Hey, I am still in charge here so no fighting until the mission is over." Shikamaru's usually calm character snapped and put his foot down. They needed an authority figure and Shikamaru didn't want to give the Tsuchikage more of a reason to doubt them.  
"We will split into four teams and thoroughly search the village making sure that none of the bandits scout's are here. If you do encounter the enemy then force them out of the village then take them down. Meet in the middle of the village when you're finished. The four teams are Naruto and Kiba, Sakura and Ino, Shino and Hinata, Choji and myself. Let's get to work."  
Each pair took off down different paths down the rather luscious village. This was one of the only places in the Earth Nation that had land fertile enough to grow crops. They probably transported the food that grew here to Iwagakure which is why this village prospered so much. Most of the Earth Nation was covered in rocky plains and mountain ranges so having a village like this will definitely prosper but the only problem was that there was not a lot of protection for the village.

"What are you thinking about Shikamaru?" Choji brought his best friend back to reality. He could always count on him to do that.

"The pro's and con's about having a village like this in a nation like this." There was no point in lying to Choji. It was almost like Choji got an alert whenever he knew Shikamaru was lying. He hated his friend for that but it was comforting to know that no matter what, he could always be real with Choji.

"Is there something more about this mission than we know about?" Choji definitely wasn't holding back to the questions right now.

"I will tell you guys everything that I know later. I have to go over the plan with you as well now that I know what we're dealing with."

"Anything we should worry about?"

"Nothing more than usual. There are just more things we have to account for now. This is such a drag. I forgot how irritating a mission could be."

"At least everyone has faith in your ability to lead. We will follow your instructions as best as we can."

"Thanks Cho. Let's focus on the mission now."

"Anyone find anything unusual?" Shikamaru asked them when they met up again.

"Everything seemed normal; Akamaru and I didn't smell anything weird as well." Akamaru gave an approving bark to support Kiba.

"I didn't see anything unusual with my byakugan as well." Hinata reported.

"There's nothing unusual in this town but there is something weird going on south-west of this town's position." Shino's report immediately had all of them turning to that direction. Obviously the only thing they saw were houses that looked similar to the ones in Sunagakure but with less sand covering it.

"My byakugan can't see that far." Shikamaru wasn't expecting Hinata to be able to see that far since he knew the distance Shino could communicate with his bugs. He wouldn't be surprised if the Aburame could communicate with his bugs in a different nation. Akamaru's bark immediately grabbed their attention.

"You smell it too, don't you Akamaru?" Kiba told his huge companion. Shikamaru had to admit, Akamaru scared him. The cute, small mutt grew into a ferocious and cunning ninja (even if he was an animal).  
"Someone is definitely making a fire in that direction. It's very far out though." Kiba confirmed Shino's report.

"Great. That rules one problem out at least." He let out a grateful sigh.

"What are you talking about Shikamaru?" Naruto was definitely confused.

"Shino and Kiba, can you keep track of the activities there and notify me of any changes please?" Shikamaru asked them ignoring Naruto's question. Both ninja nodded in approval at their leader's request.

"Let's go get something to eat then find a place to sleep before I explain the plan."

It took half an hour deciding on a meal then another half an hour choosing a place to rest before they all finally came to a conclusion and found their way to their chosen destination. The sun was already burning the clouds as it finished its shift for the day. There weren't any street lights in the village but the village was lit well enough with candles and lanterns so there was enough visibility. The villagers were all making their way home or going to a few places in the village that was still open for business.

"So what's the plan Shikamaru?" Naruto asked as he ate his ramen that evening in the lounge area of the apartment they chose. It was furnished a lot like Sakura's apartment except that her apartment was more... homely. It just felt like somewhere he wanted to return to. She was someone he wanted to return to. This place was just another dull place that would house him for a night.  
"Hello? Earth to Shikamaru. Why are you ignoring me?"

"Sorry about that Naruto, I was just lost in my own thoughts for a moment." Shikamaru took a bite of the less than flavourful dango he got. He didn't like eating heavy foods on a mission. He didn't like eating anything tasty on a mission really. He liked to indulge in the tasteless facts of the mission overall. It helped him focus.  
"We got here before the bandits did which means that Kakashi-sensei was right and the bandits stopped for more supplies and reinforcements. The good news is that we can save the village by taking the fight to them."

"What's the bad news?" He could tell that Sakura was being assertive and was focused on the mission.

"The bad news is that they will have the advantage geographically. In terms of strength, we have the advantage." He hoped that last part didn't go to their head.

"So we will just go to them and make them pay for what they did." Naruto was clearly motivated and Shikamaru understood why. Naruto's dream was to be hokage and that meant that he needed to protect everyone in the Fire Nation so if a group of bandits, like the one they were after, attacked and killed innocent people in the Fire Nation then he definitely wasn't going to stop until he stopped every last one of them.

"Don't do what you normally do and try to take them all on yourself idiot." He didn't know if Kiba was trying to start another battle with his blonde rival or if he was actually concerned about Naruto's well being.

"Who are you calling an idiot, dog boy?" Naruto didn't see the concern part about Kiba's comment. Maybe it was because of the 'idiot' part.

"Troublesome." Shikamaru sighed. "You two, shut it so that I can tell you the plan."

"Sorry Shikamaru." He was surprised that both of them apologised. They really did see him as the leader.

"We will leave here at dawn tomorrow morning and head towards them. We will wait until Hinata is in range to use her byakugan to see where they are exactly. Ino, Choji and I will launch the first attack on the main group and take out as many as we can. They will most likely break up in a couple of groups. Naruto and Kiba will take the group on the left while Sakura and Hinata take the group on the right. Shino will cover the rear. I need you to tag anyone who manages to get behind us and take them out Shino, you're our last line of defence." He turned to Shino and the bug expert nodded in agreement.  
"If then all of you come back to Ino, Choji and I and we will chase them down together. We will be blocking off three of their routes so the only place they can go is back. Our last resort will be to chase them through the Land of Birds and back to the Suna desert. Naruto and Kiba, when you are finished taking care of your group then come back and support Ino, Choji and I. That goes the same for the girls as well. If anyone is injured then bring them back to the three of us and Ino will take care of you as best she can while Sakura is busy with her task. The land in that direction is basically rough mountain ranges so it will be filled with crevices and caves so be vigilant and careful at all times. Any mission we can walk away from is a mission we can be proud of. Everyone got that?"

"Yes sir." He didn't expect them to call him 'sir' or anything other than Shikamaru but that was probably the most acceptable response.

"There's one more thing. The bandits usually attack at night. I doubt they will attack tonight but we need to prepare for that. I need teams of two to stay up and keep watch throughout the night. We will take it in one and a half hour shifts starting now. The first team will be Naruto and Choji followed by Shino and Kiba, Hinata and myself then Sakura and Ino." Shikamaru announced.

"Why would you put Kiba and I together? Both of us can find the enemy and will notice if they come closer to the village." Shino's intelligence was never to be underestimated. He was one of the top students in the academy and made it through to the final round of his first chunin exams so he was a great ninja overall. If Shino had the chance to fight in the final round of that chunin exams, Shikamaru was sure that the Aburame would've graduated alongside him.

"Your shift will be the one that is most likely to encounter the bandit's attack if they do attack. You guys will be able to confirm it easier and notify the rest of us quicker. That goes for everyone else as well. If you encounter the enemy, you need to notify the rest of us first before you attempt to stop them." Shikamaru could see that Shino understood what Shikamaru's plan was. The two of them seemed to get along well. They didn't spend a lot of time together but the time they did spend together was usually fruitful and intellectually thrilling.

"Come on Naruto, let's go." Choji stood up, eating his second bowl of ramen already. There was another two packets of ramen which he knew Choji was going to go through before his shift with Naruto ended. He didn't mind that. Choji was nothing if not dependable so he trusted Choji to do his job to the best of his ability even if he was eating.

"The rest of us should get some rest. Ino, Sakura and Hinata can take the bedroom. The guys will take the lounge." Shikamaru instructed them.

Naruto and Choji left the apartment still eating their ramen leaving the rest of them in the lounge to finish their food before they went to sleep. The girls went to go settle themselves in on the bed in their room. There were three long couches thankfully so Shino, Kiba and Shikamaru each took one. Akamaru decided to lay on the carpet next to Kiba's couch still chewing a bone from the huge piece of meat one of the villagers were grateful enough to give him.  
Shikamaru found himself looking up at the uninteresting ceiling and getting lost in his own thoughts again. He was nervous. Somehow this felt like it was going to be different and that scared him. He didn't feel this anxious when he went up against Hidan and Kakuzu. Maybe it was because he had Asuma the first time and Kakashi the next time but this was new. Maybe it was because this time he was leading a mission by himself but that couldn't be the case. He lead the whole fourth company in the war when Gaara wasn't able to so this shouldn't be easier, yet it felt much more difficult. Why did he have this bad feeling? He decided to try and ignore it as best as he could he needed to rest before it was his shift.

"Shikamaru." He heard Kiba's voice and immediately woke up. He could hear Akamaru's low, menacing growls in the room so Shikamaru knew that it was bad news.

"What happened?" Shikamaru noticed that the Inuzuka didn't wake up Naruto or Choji who were sleeping on the couches that he and Shino occupied before.

"Four men broke away from the group of bandits and are in the village." Kiba informed him as they stood up and made their way to the door where Akamaru and Shino were standing.

"They are probably scouting the village for their attack tomorrow night." So that's how they scouted the villages. They would do it at night while the villagers slept and the Iwa ninja were only around during the day to facilitate the transportation of the goods between this village and Iwagakure so there was no ninja to take them out.

"What's the plan Shikamaru?" He could see that Kiba was more than ready to attack them.

"Shino, can you put one of your bugs on each of them and track them?" Shikamaru really was asking a lot of the Aburame this mission but he knew that Shino could do it.

"Already did." Shino really was on the same wavelength as Shikamaru.

"I managed to mark their distinct smells as well so we will know when they leave." Kiba added.

"Good. We need to do a sweep of the village when they go but until then, stay inside and don't let them see us." They nodded in agreement. Kiba managed to calm Akamaru down and they sat next to the door ready to launch an attack if anyone entered the apartment. Shino stood next to a window to try and see if he can see anything odd about the men. Shikamaru took a position behind the couch he was sleeping on. The moon provided enough light for him to cast his jutsu which he was prepared to use on anyone who stepped through the door.  
Everything was eerily quiet. No one made a sound beside the occasional low growl from Akamaru that was immediately silenced by Kiba. One of the men walked past the apartment they were using and immediately sky rocketing Shikamaru's heart rate. He was more afraid that Akamaru was going to burst through the door and tear the bandit to pieces than the bandit entering the apartment and ruining his plan. Fortunately for them, the bandit continued walking and didn't look back. He took a momentary sigh of relief before focusing again.

"They're gone." Kiba announced after what felt like an hour. The three ninja immediately stood up and exited the small building.

"Notice anything weird about the guy Shino?" Shikamaru asked him.

"He wasn't wearing a forehead protector and he didn't wear any clothing distinct to a particular village. He had a kunai in his hand and a ninja pouch around his waist. He might not be a ninja but he had to have had some training." Shino reported. A thorough report, if he might add.

"This really is just one huge random group of thieves." Shikamaru concluded. "Let's go sweep the village. Akamaru and Kiba, I need you to sniff out any traps or bombs they might have planted in the village."

"Okay. Akamaru, it's our time to shine." His companion gave a soft bark of agreement then began taking the lead with his best friend.  
They searched the entire village for anything that the bandits might have left behind but they didn't find anything. The village was small enough for them to do it quickly but they decided to do it again just to be sure. They kept tabs on how far out the four bandits were from the village so that they could make sure that they could hide if the four bandits returned. Once they were finished, they returned to the apartment. Shikamaru saw that Naruto was lying and sleeping on the carpet but from the position he was lying in, he probably fell off the couch. Kiba took the couch Shikamaru was using and Akamaru settled on the carpet next to him again while Shino decided to take Naruto's couch.  
Shikamaru made his way into the bedroom where the girls were lying peacefully on the queen-sized bed. Ino was lying in the middle with Sakura and Hinata on either side of her. Typical Ino, always wanting to be the centre of attention one way or the other. He quietly made his way to Hinata's side and put his hand on her shoulder then gently gave it a squeeze slowly waking the Hyuga heiress up. He signalled to her to stay silent so that she didn't wake the other two kunoichi then led her out of the room and out of the apartment.

"Let's sit on the roof, we can get a better view of the village from there." Shikamaru suggested and Hinata nodded her head in agreement. The two ninja leapt onto the stone roof then settled themselves onto it and began their watch.

"Shi-Shikamaru." Hinata nervously called him. It irritated him him when she would stutter like that but he should've been used to it. For as long as he had known the byakugan user, she had always had her nervous stutter.

"What's on you mind Hinata?" He tried asking her in a comforting tone in order to soothe her nervousness. She had no need to be afraid of Shikamaru. Hell, he should be the one that was afraid of her. Her byakugan was as lethal as her twin lion fists so she was clearly the more powerful one here.

"Do you think Naruto will be able to be hokage one day?" He knew that she supported Naruto 100% but even she had some doubts. It was only natural to doubt so he didn't hold it against her. He doubted his abilities every day so he would be a hypocrite if he confronted her about her doubts.

"If I didn't then do you think I would've fought so hard for him to come with me on this mission?" He didn't mean to attack Hinata with his statement and he hoped that her silence meant that she understood where he was coming from.  
"Naruto's goal was always to become the hokage so that he could protect the people of our village even though they hated him when he was younger. He took all that hate and continued smiling and striving to be the best he can be. The people of our village don't deserve his leadership but he is a beacon of hope for the future generations to come and I will be lay down my life if meant that Naruto would become hokage. Neji did the that without a second thought and I would've done the same if I was in his position. Neji didn't just save Naruto, he saved you as well because he knew that Naruto cannot lead alone. Kakashi-sensei and I are laying down the path for him to take but he can't take it alone. He needs you next to him every step of the way."

"Thank you Shikamaru." Hinata had a genuine smile on her face, grateful for Shikamaru's words. He was glad that he could help her. Hinata was nothing but kind and helpful to him so he wanted to help her as much as he could as well.

"I am going to be giving Naruto more work now that I am the Hokage's advisor so he better be up for it because I am not going to allow him to be the hokage until he fully deserves it. Being the hokage is no small feat."

"I know. You're a good person Shikamaru."

"There's no one that can compare to you in that department." Shikamaru let out a small laugh as Hinata smiled. He looked up at the starless sky above him. It felt strange looking up and not seeing a star scattered anywhere in the dark ocean of the universe. It wasn't uncommon in this part of the continent so he didn't think anything of it. At least the moon was still as present as always.  
"Hinata, I have a favour to ask you."

"W-What is it Shikamaru?" He knew his sudden remark would startle the kunoichi. She was always on edge for some reason.

"I know you helped Shino with his taijutsu so I was wondering if I could ask for your help as well?" He could see that Hinata was surprised by his question. She knew that his jutsu allowed him to use as little taijutsu as possible so it didn't make sense for him to focus on improving his taijutsu if he didn't need to.

"Um... sure." Hinata agreed.

"Thanks. I need to get in shape again so this is a great way to do it as well." Shikamaru explained. Now it made sense. Kill two birds with one stone.

"Lee is a taijutsu master and Sakura fights hand-to-hand most of the time so why didn't you ask one of them?" Hinata was smart, he couldn't deny that. She wasn't as scared of confrontation as she was before so she was definitely getting more confident about herself.

"Are you doubting your abilities Hinata?" He wasn't going to allow her to get information out of him, well not without taking the fight to her as well.

"No I... I um... just asking a question Shikamaru-san." He knew he had her defeated when she started calling him 'san' again. He managed to persuade Ino to get Hinata to stop using honorifics when addressing her friends since it could be seen as disrespectful when they don't do the same in return. After a couple of years of trying, Ino finally succeeded and Hinata finally stopped but now Shikamaru knew where to hit her where it hurts.

"I know." he tried giving her a comforting smile but she shied away. He knew she wasn't going to come out of her shell now until he gave her a reason to so he had to answer her question.  
"Do you honestly think that I could keep up with Lee? I can hardly keep up with Shino in battle and I'm as fast as him." That comment brought a smile to her face. Shino was a lot like Itachi was to Sasuke, except for the 'killing your clan' and 'making your sibling hate you' part. Shino was strong, mysterious and intelligent just like Itachi. Shino would also keep Hinata as safe as he could and try to protect her from the shadows just like Itachi did for Sasuke before he massacred their clan.

"What about Sakura?" Sakura, she was a mysterious ally. He wanted to be more than just allies and friends with her though. He wanted more than just a teacher-student relationship than Hinata was referring to. He wanted all of her but she couldn't give him all of her and he had to accept that.

"Sakura has her job as one of the leaders of the hospital to focus on. She won't has as much time as you might have to train me. I'm the head of the Nara clan and you are set to be the head of the Hyuga clan as well so your father could see view this as a chance to strengthen the relationship between two of the biggest clans in the village." Hinata couldn't argue with his reasoning there. He really did think way ahead of what she was thinking.

"She likes you." This was a new side of Hinata. He never knew her to meddle in anyone's relationship let alone intentionally initiate a conversation about someone else's relationship. The more he spoke to her, the more interesting she became.

"I like her too." He didn't want to risk lying to Hinata and cause any distrust between them especially on a mission. He was also interested to see where this conversation would lead.

"I mean, she likes you in a romantic sense." He didn't know why she was embarrassed to admit that. Her blush grew deeper the more she spoke to him about this. It was as if Ino was using her jutsu to transfer Sakura's consciousness into Hinata's head in order to get his reactions. He wouldn't be surprised if Ino actually did something like that to them already.

"I know. Doesn't change what I said." She smiled. He really was beginning to think Ino was behind this somehow.

"You should ask her out on a date." Her voice was quiet as she said those words. It was almost as if she didn't want to say it.

"Sakura knows how I feel about her and I know how she feels about me but she's keeping something from me and I feel like I can't be in a relationship with someone if they aren't being honest and upfront with me. I don't deserve to be lied to. I can handle the truth. I might not be able to do it right away but I will be able to do it."

"Have you told her why you and Temari broke up?" He could see where Hinata was going with this. He was impressed. She was cunning and smart; a deadly combination.

"No."

"Then by the very nature of what you just explained, you're keeping something from Sakura as well." There it was, her target. He couldn't disagree with her there though. Her logic made sense and he honestly found himself being enchanted by her words.

"She knows what I am hiding, I don't know what she is hiding. There is a difference."

"How do you know that she is hiding anything then?" Damn, Hinata really wasn't holding any punches back. She was throwing him in the deep end.

"She confirmed it when I confronted her about it." Well, at least she didn't deny it.

"Then how do you know that if she reveals a piece of what she is hiding that you won't figure everything else out?"

"The opposite will be true as well then. What if I don't figure it out?" They were at a deadlock now and it was her turn to make a move. He liked this intellectual battle going on between them. It was energizing to say the least.

"You're both hiding things from each other that you're not willing to tell each other yet. Are you really that vain to allow it to come between the potential happiness that being together could create?" Checkmate. He really couldn't come back from that. Hinata completely destroyed every argument that he had planned to use. He didn't expect her to be that confident and straightforward. This was his fault; he will never underestimate the Hyuga Heiress again.  
"I'm not trying to tell you what to do. I just wanted to help you a little. You've always supported my relationship with Naruto so I thought I could do the same for you."

"I really appreciate it Hinata. You honestly opened my eyes, thank you." He could tell that Hinata was grateful that she could help him. She never wanted to be a hindrance to anyone, especially not her friends. She was always ready to help her friends no matter what circumstances it might be under.

"It's my pleasure Shikamaru."

"As much as I like talking to you, we are on a mission so we should probably focus for a while." He knew she got the message when she activated her byakugan and scanned the village. He decided to look around as well and hope that the bandits didn't decide to launch an attack at this hour.

"Hinata, it's time for Ino and Sakura." He could see the raven haired girl was a little exhausted so his words definitely brought a relief to her ears. The two of them stood up then gently jumped off the roof and went inside. They hardly made a sound as they made their way to the bedroom. Shikamaru signalled to Hinata to go sleep while he woke Ino and Sakura up. She agreed then climbed under the blanket and quickly went to sleep. She really was exhausted.  
He went over to Sakura's side of the bed and gently squeezed her shoulder like he did to wake Hinata up earlier. Her emerald eyes fluttered open as she looked up at the Nara. He signalled for her to be quiet then led her out of the room and out of the building as well.

"Shouldn't we wake Ino up?" Sakura quietly asked him.

"She needs as much rest as she can get since she is going to be doing the most work later. Let's go up to the roof." He jumped onto the roof again and Sakura immediately following him.

"Doesn't really sound like really she knows what she got herself into."

"No one really knows what they get themselves into until it begins."

"Is that supposed to be a jab at me?" He was honestly confused by her remark. They were talking about Ino, right? Why would it be a jab at Sakura?  
"I thought we were going to keep it professional on this mission." Oh, now it made sense to him.

"I didn't..."

"I expected better of you Shikamaru. You're supposed to be the leader as well." He felt irritated that she interrupted him and didn't give him a chance to explain. She kept rambling on in front of him then poked his chest for reason. He really should pay attention more attention to her concerns but Hinata's words immediately popped up in his head; was he really going to let this stand in the way of their happiness?  
He swiftly cupped her jaw with his rough hands then gently placed his lips on hers. His actions stunned hers but she accepted the kiss. It was one way to shut her up but it reminded him of what happened outside the bar and he didn't want a repeat of that. He agonizingly broke the kiss and dropped his hands but didn't step away from her.

"Troublesome woman, it's disrespectful to interrupt someone." He had his usual bored expression plastered on his face as he spoke which angered the kunoichi in front of him even more.

"If you..." He stopped her with another quick, gentle kiss again. "What the hell Shikamaru?"

"Are you going to let me speak?" His expression went from bored to serious but hers didn't change.

"Fine." She replied as she turned her head to the side but he softly put his hand under her chin and turned her to face him.

"I didn't take any jab at you but I do want to talk about what I said at the bar. I'm sorry that I gave you an ultimatum and I'm sorry that I ran away from you when we were at the cemetery. I know that you want to be with me even if you can't tell me everything and I was too egotistical to accept that you are hiding things from me but everyone has their secrets. Everyone has skeletons they would rather not dig up, myself included, but I don't want that to stay in the way of our happiness anymore. I told you before that I am broken and I know I will never be the same again but if you are with me then you can help me pick up the pieces and turn me into a better man because, honestly, you aren't perfect but you're a much better person that I will ever be. I don't want to be with you because you can make me better but if you will give me a chance then I want to be the one that makes you happy."  
Her arms flung around his neck quickly bringing his lips crashing down on hers with an intense hunger they both felt could be satisfied by having their mouths plastered on each others. He gently wrapped his arms around her allowing their bodies to mould into each other. Their kiss wasn't a battle for dominance or an act of pleasure but rather a pure romantic gesture displaying the need for happiness they wanted. Their wordless act answered the unasked question between them. They needed each other and they wanted to make each other happy no matter what they were hiding.


	13. Chapter 13

**HEY GUYS AND GIRLS. I KNOW I POSTED A CHAPTER A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO BUT THIS CHAPTER WAS NAGGING FOR ME TO TYPE IT. IT'S A BIT RUSHED SO DON'T HATE ME TOO MUCH. SOME OF THE CHARACTERS ARE OUT OF CHARACTER BUT THEY ARE CHARACTERS IN MY STORY SO THIS IS HOW THEY WILL BE UNFORTUNATELY. I HOPE YOU GUYS AND GIRLS DON'T HATE ME TOO MUCH. I AM JUST ANOTHER STUPID GUY SO I CAN'T BE DOING TOO MUCH HARM RIGHT?**

 **HAPPY READING:)**

You know that moment when your luck finally runs out and leaves you standing alone in the centre of all your problems with no help whatsoever. Everything around feels like it comes crashing down without any end in sight and every breath you take seems to be making everything worse than it already is. You're find yourself in a helpless state of being with life destroying you at every corner.

No one could've planned for this.

How did it get to this?

Tch... troublesome.

"They have permission to carry out their mission here."

"Kurotsuchi is right Temari, is arresting him really what you think Gaara would want?"

"What do you care Sasuke? You aren't even part of their village anymore."

"Can everyone just stop your damn fighting? You guys are such a drag." Shikamaru slowly slid his hands in his pockets and stared up at the calming blue sea above them with its puffy white ships scarcely scattered in it.  
Damn, he wished he could be a cloud.

 ******* **1 HOUR EARLIER** *******

"Everyone stop." Shikamaru ordered his team as they slowly approached the group of bandits. The sun had just start to show itself barely providing any light but it did provide more than enough light for Shikamaru to activate his jutsu.  
"Hinata, can you see them?" He turned to the Hyuga who immediately activated her famed byakugan. She looked in the direction of the enemy so Shikamaru took the liberty to check the status of his team. They left their apartment they were using in the village less than half an hour ago so everyone still looked fresh. Ino was the only one that got to sleep uninterrupted but she was the one that looked the most tired among the nine of them. Hell, even he felt more refreshed than she looked.  
Then his eyes briefly met Sakura's and a moment of joy immediately lit up his dead heart before it went back to its usual dormant state. Why didn't he let go of his pride earlier and be happy with her?

"I'm counting 83 bandits Shikamaru." Hinata informed him. Damn, that's more than he was hoping for but that didn't bother him. If all the bandits were like the four scouts they sent last night then they were nowhere near the quality to bother the Konohans. What they lacked in quality, they certainly made up in quantity though.

"Looks like I am going to need you nearer to us Shino. Everyone else, the plan still remains the same." They nodded in agreement.  
"Let's get closer." Kiba and Akamaru led them closer to the enemy. Shikamaru trusted them to sniff out any traps that the enemy might have set but there didn't seem to be any. The terrain didn't really suit any side at the moment. Lots of rocky hills and deep crevices randomly scattered around them. It definitely brought a smile to Shikamaru's face to see all the shadows the uneven rock formations provided. Kiba and Akamaru stopped a couple of kilometres away from their target and the rest of the group joined them as they hid behind a couple of boulders.

"This is as close as we can get Shikamaru." Kiba informed him. Shikamaru nodded then closed his eyes and got into his usual thinking position. Plans raced through his head until he finally found one that made sense to him.

"Naruto, Kiba and Akamaru; get as close as you can to them without them seeing you from the left side. Hinata and Sakura; do the same on the right side. When Choji launches his attack then the five of you need to make sure that none of them escape." They nodded in agreement then kept low as they made their way to their sides.

"What's the plan Shikamaru?" Ino asked.

"If we go closer to them from this position then they will discover us." Shino pointed out.

"Do you see any other way to get closer without being discovered?" He couldn't see if Shino was thinking and coming up with a plan or not but he was going to tell them the plan anyway.  
"We can't avoid being discovered so that's exactly how we are going to attack. I'm going to create a clone then Ino and I are going to control clone and send it straight into their camp. I am going to use my jutsu and trap as many as them in it then I am going to need the two of you to take as many of them out before my clone disappears. Ino and I will then make our way to assist Choji. Shino, you need to make sure that no one gets past us without being marked. If you can't take them out then direct them to the left or right sides so that Naruto, Kiba, Akamaru, Hinata and Sakura can take them out. Everyone got that?"

"Yes sir." Came the response.

'You goes nothing I suppose.' Shikamaru thought to himself as he created a shadow clone of himself. He didn't have a high chakra reserve to say the least but he did have enough to keep the clone alive for a couple of minutes. He was out of practice as well so he was going to have to concentrate even more than usual.

"Ino, you ready?" Shikamaru asked his blonde friend. She nodded in agreement then activated her jutsu and connected Shikamaru to his clone.  
"Choji, Shino; start making your way when I stop walking." Shikamaru instructed them through his clone. He saw a crevice that he could use to make his way directly to the group but that meant that the clone could be ambushed and die easier. He could afford to take the risk since it was only just a clone. He made his way down the rocky passage that could only allow people to pass through in a single file. He kept his eyes open to any traps or enemy that might have spotted him. He was surprised that there was no one watching him or tracking him through the tight valley he found himself in but he decided not to look a gift horse in the mouth.  
He could see the open space that they decided to make their camp in the distance so he got a little anxious. He was never this bold on missions. His plans were always to try and find a way to complete the mission with as little work as possible yet here he was choosing to go into the enemy territory and start a fight. He really did change, unless his friends finally rubbed off on him.

"Well what do we have here?" The voice came from behind him once he emerged from the crevice and stepped straight into the enemy camp. Shikamaru looked behind him and was met by a broad muscled man. He was a little taller than Shikamaru with visible scars on his unclothed forearms. He was clearly a guard of some sorts and his bold stature made the fear rise in the shadow ninja.

"I think I'm lost." Shikamaru's voice clearly showed the fear he was desperately trying to hide. The camp had a rocky hill on one side where Shikamaru came through the crevice and with even more rocky terrain on the other sides.

"Walk." The man ordered then placed his large hand on Shikamaru's shoulder and forced him to go forward. Shikamaru immediately tapped his side and hoped that Ino got the signal. He nervously made his way further into the camp while more of the bandits emerged from small tents that were scattered around.

"Looks like we get to warm up before tonight." One of them loudly announced confirming Shikamaru's suspicions. At least they got here in time them. He looked around at the large group that was beginning to surround him. He counted at least 30 around him at the moment.

"He's from Konoha." It's not like he was trying to hide that fact. His uniform and his forehead protector that rested on his arm should've given that away as soon as he was discovered.

"I'm just here to send a message to the Tsuchikage and I am on my way to send the same message to the Kazekage." Shikamaru immediately noticed the large mass of chakra headed towards them. He was relieved that Ino understood his signal and sent Shino and Choji.

"What would that message be?" He didn't need to answer that. He stalled them enough so he had to get ready for the battle.

"Spiked human bullet tank!" Their attention immediately turned to the hill where they heard the voice coming from distracting them long enough for Shikamaru to activate his jutsu.

"Black spider lily." Shikamaru announced then saw his shadow extend in eight different directions and began using the shadow sewing technique to try and trap all of the bandits around him as Choji's spiked ball form sprang into the air and was headed straight down towards the large group. Shikamaru couldn't trap all of them but he at least gave Choji lots of stationery targets to hit, including himself. Shikamaru then spotted a wave of bugs emerging from the crevice instantly blocking it off. Shino had the right idea; by cutting off that route, the only way they could escape would be to run to the sides where they would be taken out or to go back to where they came from and risk going into the desert again.  
Shikamaru had no time to think continue thinking. Choji's human bullet tank landed on a couple of bandits immediately killing them while creating a tremendous impact on the ground as well. Screams and shouts could be heard all around trying to warn the bandits to escape but Choji continued mowing them down. Shikamaru could see that Choji didn't have the best control when it came to his human bullet tank technique. The Akimichi still had a long way to go when it came to directing his attack but if he used it in the Ino-Shika-Cho formation then Shikamaru could help him control it better while Ino pointed out their targets. Shikamaru then noticed a few bandits try to escape by running through the bugs but were immediately drained of their chakra and left lying helplessly on the ground. Suddenly Choji's huge force hit Shikamaru's clone immediately sending it out of existence in a huge cloud of smoke and directing Shikamaru and Ino's consciousness back to their original bodies.

"You okay Ino?" Shikamaru asked her once they were back behind the boulders.

"Yeah." Both of them stood up and began running towards the battles.

"Giant rasengan!" That could only be Naruto's voice shouting and using that technique. Shikamaru saw the huge rasengan in the distance hit the ground with probably a few bandits trapped underneath it. He heard another battle cry then turned his attention to the right where he saw a couple of boulders being thrown across the surface of the earth. Only Sakura's inhumane strength could do it so easily. He smiled at the thought of her but then quickly focused again.

"Ino, I am going to need you to go through as much of the bandits' heads and try to find out if there are any more bases where they might be hiding out and what their plans are. We need as much information out of them as possible."

"On it. Who's going to protect my body then?"

"Shino and I will take care of that." They nodded in agreement at their plan then jumped down the rocky hill and landed in the camp site that was nearly completely destroyed by Choji's technique.  
"Shino, are those guys still alive?" Shikamaru motioned to the bodies lying motionless on the ground in front of Shino's bug wall.

"Barely. My bugs drained them of their chakra." Shino answered.

"Ino, get to work." Shikamaru ordered her. Ino then wove threw her hand signs and activated her jutsu. Shikamaru caught her limp body then placed it behind Shino's wall.  
"Shino, I am going to go help Choji. Watch my back and keep Ino's body safe." Shino nodded in agreement before Shikamaru raced towards Choji who was trying his best to chase down the remaining two bandits. They were smart. They knew Choji couldn't make sharp turns while he was in that state so they running in zigzag patterns.  
"Choji, come back." He could see that Choji was losing speed and getting tired but so were the bandits. He didn't know why the bandits weren't trying to escape though. Maybe they thought they could buy some time for the others to escape. A noble gesture but useless if they ran into the rest of the team.

"What are we going to do now Shikamaru?" Choji joined Shikamaru, panting while his fatigue consumed him.

"We need to keep one alive but the other one we can give to Shino." Shikamaru explained as he watched the two ninja make their way to each other. Suddenly a huge swarm of Shino's bugs zoomed past the best friends immediately encapsulating the two bandits.  
"We need one alive Shino." One of the bandits were immediately thrown towards them while the bugs feasted on the other one's chakra.

"W-W-What kind of monsters are you guys?" The bandit nervously asked as he crawled away from. Shino's bugs drained the other bandit and let his body fall in front of his ally who immediately emitted a shriek.

"You guys nearly killed 100 innocent villagers and destroyed two villages; what kind of monsters are you guys?" Shikamaru's voice was calm but threatening. He could see that the bandit lying on the ground was scared out of his mind right now. A body was sent flying across them as Sakura and Hinata appeared by the group.

"All clear on the right side." Sakura announced.

"I s-s-swear it wasn't m-my idea. I'm j-j-just a thief. Don't kill me. Please I will d-d-do anything you want." He pleaded. Shikamaru immediately sighed. There was no use trying to interrogate this guy since he probably didn't know what this group of bandits were really after.

"Knock him out Cho." Shikamaru told his chubby friend. Choji immediately expanded his hand and then knocked the bandit unconscious before dragging both him and his other ally towards the bodies lying around Ino.

"What now Shikamaru?" Sakura asked him as Choji and Shino joined them.

"Now we wait for Naruto, Kiba and Akamaru to come back. Hinata, did anyone run back to the Land of Birds?" Shikamaru saw the Hyuga activate her byakugan and scan the area.

"No one ran that way. Sakura and I took down everyone who came our way. No one escaped." Hinata reported. That was a relief. He knew his relief couldn't be confirmed until Naruto, Kiba and Akamaru came back. He hoped that they didn't mess this up.

"Sakura, Hinata; go check on those two idiots. Make sure that they are okay." Shikamaru ordered them.

"No need, hear they come." Shikamaru didn't want to know how Shino knew that. Maybe he planted a female bug on them in case of an emergency. Did Shino plant a bug on all of them? He knew that Shino was jounin but he didn't expect the Aburame to be this careful.

"I see them in the distance as well." Hinata confirmed.

"You don't need any special jutsu to hear those idiots." They released a comforting laugh, everyone except Shino that is, at Sakura's remark. She wasn't lying though; he could hear Naruto and Kiba's shouting while Akamaru barked.

"What are you guys laughing at?" Ino joined the group again but went around the group and stood in between Sakura and Hinata rather than standing between Shino and Choji who were closer.

"Why don't you want to stand between Shino and Choji?" Shikamaru asked her.

"Because Shino's bugs are creepy and disgusting." Ino clearly didn't care about minding what she said. He knew that it probably wouldn't phase the Aburame. This wasn't the first time anyone ever called him or his bugs creepy or disgusting. Hell, Kiba used to call him that when they first became a team. He probably still calls him that but not as frequently as before.

"My bugs are not disgusting." Came Shino's reply.

"Well try being eaten alive by them."

"They often eat my chakra to nourish themselves."

"Exactly. That's disgusting."

"Stop it you two." Shikamaru ordered them but Ino's stared at Shino trying to intimidate the Aburame but failing miserably.

"You two morons, quit your yammering and get over here already!" Ino shouted at the three ninja in the distance.

"Shut up Ino!" Both of them replied while Akamaru barked in agreement.

"Don't make me come over there and shut you two up myself!" Their shouting was giving the lazy ninja a headache.

"I think I am done with missions for a while now." Shikamaru said as he sighed then looked up at the clouds.

"Stop being so lazy Shikamaru. This mission was easy. It was long and boring to be honest." Ino wasn't wrong. This was a long and mostly boring mission. The only time they got to fight was now and it only lasted for about 10 minutes. At least the mission was successful and no one got injured so that's a good thing.

"What's happening?" Kiba asked when the three ninja completed the group.

"Did you guys take them all down?" Shikamaru asked them.

"Of course we did Shikamaru." Naruto was clearly happy. He definitely enjoyed the fight it seemed.

"A few of them tried to escape but I tracked them and then took them down." That's why he paired Kiba up with Naruto. Somehow Naruto was going to let some of them slip through so all Kiba had to do was chase them down.

"Good. Ino, did you find anything?" Everyone turned their attention to the Yamanaka. Her report was a crucial one.

"This group of bandits were the ones that attacked the villages in the Wind and Fire nations and were planning to attack the village we were in yesterday. They don't have any hideouts and this was the main group. There are five others that are controlling them I think but no one knew much about them. They just got their orders and followed them." Ino informed them.

"So there are people working behind the scenes." That would make sense. If this group of bandits were just the body of the operation then they needed to find the brain or else they would just find another 'body' to attack with.  
"We need to report this to Kakashi-sensei and find those five people as soon as possible." Shikamaru stated as he closed his eyes and thought for a moment.

"I can send a message to Kakashi-sensei right now." Ino offered.

"Not yet. Save your chakra. We can go to Iwagakure then communicate with Konoha and continue this partnership. We can communicate with Gaara as well then if need be." Shikamaru hoped that this didn't turn into a big problem.

"Is it me or is the Earth shaking?" Kiba asked. Shikamaru didn't notice the slightly tremors until now but it seemed to be growing in strength.

"It's coming closer." Shino announced as a huge rumble shook stable ground they found themselves standing on. Suddenly a wave of dust erupted and began barrelling its way towards the group.

"Everyone, be on guard. If anyone can see what it is then tell us. This is not our nation so don't engage in combat until you are certain that whatever this thing is, is here to harm us." Shikamaru ordered them. He immediately covered his face and planted himself on the ground as a strong wind propelled the gust of dust engulfing everyone of them. He could hear everyone struggling to overcome this dust storm so he was relieved when the wind began dying down but the tremors felt like it was becoming stronger and whatever was causing it was coming nearer to us.  
The dust began to settle but what emerged from it surprised everyone; a massive rock golem. The giant being had two arms and legs with a faceless boulder as a head but Shikamaru could see two people on top of the creature. They were probably the ones controlling it. Was it a summoning of sorts?

"You Konoha-nin don't belong here." One of the guys on top of the golem said as the massive creature towered above the group of ninja.

"We have permission from the Tsuchikage to take down the group of bandits who attacked villages in the Wind and Fire Nation." Shikamaru informed them. He was desperately trying to think of a way to defeat this massive golem in front of them because he had a feeling this these guys weren't allies.

"So you are the ones that took them out." His threatening tone definitely confirmed Shikamaru's suspicions. "Now you guys get to join them." The golem immediately lifted up its powerful left leg.

"Everyone, get out of its range!" Shikamaru hoped that he didn't give the order to late as the golem was bringing down its menacing foot.

"Summoning jutsu!" He heard Naruto and surprisingly Shino shout and slam their hand against the ground. Choji immediately expanded body in size and grabbed the huge creature by its shoulders, hoping to push it over but unfortunately the golem was strong and sturdy and remained in place but its left leg was forced back so it didn't strike any of his friends.

"Hey Naruto." Shikamaru immediately knew that his luck had run out when he saw which toad Naruto had summoned; Gamatatsu. The young toad was a massive creature but Shikamaru knew all too well how clueless and childish the yellow toad could be.  
Shikamaru's attention was immediately turned to the giant insect in front of him, albeit that the creature was smaller than Gamatatsu.

"Hop on." Shino stood on the large head of the creature.

"No way. I am not getting touching another one of your bugs Shino." Ino replied while Hinata, Sakura, Kiba and Akamaru were getting on already.

"We don't have time for this Ino." Shikamaru grabbed her hand then pulled her towards the summoned creature and threw her up to the group where Kiba caught her. He hoped onto the creature himself as the insect began flapping its wings and lifting off the ground. The group were immediately unsettled for a moment since they didn't have anything to hold on to but Shikamaru activated his shadow stitching jutsu and made sure that everyone was tied down to the insect flying them out of danger.  
"On top of the hill Shino." Shikamaru directed the Aburame. The insect immediately turned direction as Shikamaru saw Choji being overpowered and forced back. He didn't expect Choji to overpower a massive creature that was literally made out of rock but he knew that Choji wasn't going to give up so all they had to do was hope that Naruto and Gamatatsu help Choji. The two looked like they were still planning.

"What the hell is that thing and who are those guys?" Sakura voiced the question that everyone wanted to know.

"Naruto! Use the toad gun technique!" Shikamaru shouted the instructions to Naruto as Shino landed his insect on the hill above the enemy camp.

"How do you expect him to use that technique when there isn't any water around?" Kiba asked as they got off the bug.

"Naruto will figure it out. He always does." Shikamaru hoped that his confidence in Naruto wasn't misplaced. He could always count on the Uzumaki when the time came so he hoped that this time that his luck didn't run out just yet.  
"Shino, does your insect have any offensive abilities?" It didn't look like Shino's summoning had any striking attack features.

"Not yet but I could distract them long enough for Choji to get the advantage back." Shino suggested.

"Okay, do it." Shino and Shikamaru nodded in agreement then Shino took off on the huge insect.

"I could summon Katsuyu and use her acid to melt that golem." Sakura suggested.

"Not yet. We need to get more information about those guys and that golem." Shikamaru was already worried about Naruto, Choji and Shino fighting the massive creature so he didn't need Sakura adding herself when they didn't know enough to overpower the creature.

"Wind Release: Toad Gun!" Naruto shouted as he added his wind-based-chakra to strengthen the blast. The strong stream of water hit the golem directly in the stomach allowing Choji to push the golem back. Shikamaru saw that the force of the water was cracking the rock hard body of the huge creature but he knew that water nature was weak against earth nature.

"Choji, take out its legs!" Shikamaru instructed the Akimichi. Choji used his legs and kicked the golem's legs out from under itself. The force of the toad gun helped Choji push the golem to the ground but the golem suddenly grew another arm and launched one of the men towards the group of ninja on the hill.

"Shikamaru, we have incoming." Kiba announced.

"Shino, you're in charge of taking down that golem!" Shikamaru instructed the Aburame then turned his attention to the long grey haired ninja who landed a few feet away from the group. Shikamaru immediately made his way to Ino.  
"When you get the chance, get inside his head." He whispered to the Yamanaka. Shikamaru immediately saw a kunai being flung towards him but it was easily deflected by Kiba.

"It's not very nice throwing kunai at people you just met." He knew Kiba was getting ready to fight the ninja. Shikamaru noticed the symbol on the ninja's forehead protector that was hanging by his waist; Wind Nation. Why would Wind Nation ninja be attacking them in the Earth Nation? What was going on? The ninja wore the Sunagakure clothing so he definitely came from there but he didn't know anything other than that.

"Are you one of the ninja that are being chased down by the Kazekage?" That could be it. It made sense but if he was one of them then why was he here? That group of ninja was supposed to be travelling south and not north.

"Doesn't look like he is talking Shikamaru. What do you want to do?" Kiba asked him. The Suna-nin looked at each one of them, sizing them up probably.

"Take him down." Sakura and Kiba immediately launched their attack while Akamaru decided to go around the ninja. They were using taijutsu but the Suna-nin was easily able to defend or dodge the attacks but he was taken by surprise when he tried to block Sakura's punch and was sent pummelling into the ground behind him. The ninja stood back up and dusted himself off then swiped his hands in the air but Shikamaru instantly recognized that jutsu.

"Everyone, don't let that wind touch you. It's Baki-sensei's blade of wind technique. Get out of the way." Looks like spending that time in Sunagakure was paying off. Everyone jumped out of the way of the deadly wind that slashed across the ground.

"Akamaru, let's do it." Kiba and his companion immediately rushed forward towards the enemy. "Fang over fang." Their jutsu worked in perfect unison and aimed directly at the Suna-nin. The ninja quickly dodged the attack but unlike Choji, Kiba and Akamaru could change direction very easily. Sakura immediately rushed in to assist Kiba and Akamaru. Every time the ninja dodged, Sakura would go on the attack and keep him in place until Kiba and Akamaru could launch another attack. Suddenly the Suna-nin stopped moving.

"Shadow possession complete." Shikamaru stood up allowing everyone to see his shadow connected to the other shadows of the uneven ground which finally connected to the enemy.  
"Hinata, take out his chakra points." The humble ninja immediately activated her byakugan then jabbed her enemy on certain points of his body until Shikamaru finally felt the ninja stop resisting.

"All done Shikamaru." Hinata informed him as she stepped back. Suddenly a boulder was launched into the air and headed straight towards the group. Sakura jumped up to meet the boulder without a second thought and immediately pushed the boulder to the side so that it didn't hit them.

"Idiots! We're fighting here!" Sakura shouted at them when she landed. Shikamaru turned his attention back to the group fighting the huge golem. Out of nowhere, Sasuke's susanoo sprang to life in the fight and immediately used its sword to cut the golem in half which then led to Shino encapsulating the ninja on top of the golem.

"Why is Sasuke there?" Ino asked the question they were all wondering as the rock golem crumbled out of existence. Choji immediately shrunk down to normal size while Shino landed his bug on the ground and got off him. Both Gamatatsu and the huge insect disappeared in a cloud of smoke while Sasuke deactivated his susanoo.

"Let's go find out." Shikamaru then made his way to the Suna-nin that they trapped and knocked him out before picking him up and going down to the enemy camp.  
"Sakura; take care of Choji first." Shikamaru ordered the medic ninja as he made his way towards Shino who dropped enemy close to the group and Shikamaru did the same with the one on his back.

"Sasuke, what are you doing here?" Naruto asked his former teammate as they came closer to the group.

"I was tracking their group but I followed them when they broke away." Sasuke answered him.

"Who are they?" Shikamaru didn't trust the sharingan user much but he knew that he wouldn't willingly attack them so he felt comfortable having him here especially if he was fighting with them and not against them.

"Ninja from Sunagakure. I heard that there was a failed coup so I thought I could lend Gaara a hand." Sasuke was definitely up to date on the events happening in the nations.

"How did you find out?" He didn't expect Sasuke to answer that truthfully but it didn't hurt to ask.

"I have my ways." Just like he expected from the Uchiha.

"You knew about that and you didn't tell me Shikamaru." Naruto definitely felt hurt that Shikamaru didn't share that information but Shikamaru only found out when they reached the Land of Grass.

"I only found out when we passed through the Land of Grass." Shikamaru explained.

"Gaara is trying to keep this under wraps. I don't think Kakashi-sensei knows as well." That surprised Shikamaru. If Kakashi-sensei didn't know that information then Gaara must've been doing a really good job of covering it up.

"I was supposed to pass along that and other information to him once we go back home."

"Anything you can share?"

"Only if you're willing to share your information." The Uchiha and Nara stared at each other trying to see who would break first but none of them did.

"Sorry to break up your moment but should I get started?" Ino asked Shikamaru.

"Yeah. Take me in with you. I want to see what these guys have been up to." Shikamaru instructed her.

"Ninja from Iwagakure are on their way here Shikamaru. What do you want us to do?" Kiba and Akamaru probably could probably smell their scent in the distance.

"Ninja from Sunagakure will probably be here soon as well." Sasuke added.

"Keep things diplomatic for one. We don't need a repeat of the previous wars. Ino and I will be back as soon as we can." Everyone nodded in agreement. Ino activated her jutsu then sent their minds into the first target so that they could begin getting information.

***PRESENT MOMENT***

"Look who finally grew a pair." Temari's sarcastic tone couldn't have been missed. "Looks like being the head of your clan finally made you grow up."

"Not really. Just made things more troublesome." He sighed again as he finally took note of the people around him. His team were scattered on either side of him. Ino was standing right next to him with the bodies of the two Suna-nin at their feet. Sasuke was standing a couple of metres to his left while Kurotsuchi, Akatsuchi and four other Iwa-nin were standing behind him. Temari, Kankuro, Baki, Matsuri, Yukata and Genma's team were standing in front of them. Everything felt way too tense and with the information Shikamaru just obtained from the two Suna-nin, it should be tense.

"You either come with us peacefully or not Shikamaru." Baku was arguably the most loyal ninja to Sunagakure. Shikamaru knew how first hand powerful Baki is. Baki was at least 10 times stronger than the Suna-nin that he fought earlier was. Even Shikaku noted how well Baki commanded Sunagakure's military and said that he didn't want to go up against him in a battle. For his father to say that about someone, it definitely scared Shikamaru.

"My apologies Baki-sensei, my mission cannot be altered unless instructed so by the hokage himself." Shikamaru was trying to be polite. There was no need for this to escalate into something bigger.

"Cut the crap Shikamaru. You and Ino are coming with us whether you like to or not." Temari was clearly not in the mood for his games right now but that encouraged Shikamaru even more.

"Ino, would you like to go with them?" Everyone turned his attention to the pale blonde next to him.

"No. I am on a mission so I would like to continue it." Ino was definitely playing along with Shikamaru.

"It's a no from from me as well." Shikamaru stated then turned to the Suna-nin again. "That's two verbal answers of non-compliance with your request in front of witnesses from three different nations. If you continue to insist that we go with you then that would mean that you are being hostile. If you forcefully take us from this area then that would mean that you kidnapped us. Knowing all this, do you want to continue with your demands?" He could see the irritation on Temari's face while Kankuro had a blank expression on his.

"You're just as impressive as your father Shikamaru." Baki was more appreciative of Shikamaru's efforts.

"Why can't we just take them?" Matsuri clearly didn't understand what was happening right now. He didn't blame her. She and Yukata didn't know what Shikamaru knew right now. Hell, no one knew exactly what Shikamaru knew. He was still trying to make sense of everything himself. The information that he just received would disturb the peace in the ninja realm which is probably why Baki wanted them to go back to Sunagakure with him so that they could somehow keep Shikamaru and Ino quiet about what was happening or get rid of them altogether.

"If you guys take Shikamaru and Ino right now, it would trigger an immediate war between Land of Wind and the Land of Fire." Sasuke definitely understood full well what Shikamaru was doing.

"Pretty bold move doing that on in the Land of Earth. How sure are you that we will back you up?" Kurotsuchi definitely wasn't stupid by any stretch of the imagination. He was pretty sure that once her grandfather steps down as the Tsuchikage then she would be welcomed to take over. He saw how strong she was in the previous war so she was someone that he didn't want to mess around with.

"I'm not expecting you to back us up but this document gives my team and I diplomatic immunity in this nation." Shikamaru handed her the scroll. "It also says that you guys will assist us during the mission and we are technically still carrying out our mission. If you guys are refusing to aid us then you will be denying the orders of your Tsuchikage. If my understanding is correct; denying a direct request of a Tsuchikage will result in your shinobi status being taken away and could lead to you being locked up."

"You're such a dick Shikamaru." Temari's frustration got the better of her. He knew that she had a short fuse so he loved testing her limits and it seemed like she just reached hers.

"I'm not the one in control here. The Kage are. If the Hokage tells us to go with you then we will go with you. If the Tsuchikage takes away our power in this nation, then we will have no choice but to comply and head back to the Land of Fire." Shikamaru was seriously having fun playing with them. He knew that he shouldn't but he couldn't help it. This was like a game of shogi and he had each piece positioned exactly where he wanted them to be.

"Are you willing to stay here until we get permission from the Kage?" Baki asked the Nara.

"Certainly. Obviously we will send all the information we have to the Hokage and the intelligence division in Konohagakure. If that happens, are you going to kidnap all the ninja in Konohagakure as well?" He couldn't help but smirk. This was too perfect. He knew he was digging a deeper grave for himself in terms of his relationships with everyone but he wasn't breaking any rules. He wasn't planning on becoming the Hokage anyway so he didn't need to have friendly relationships with any of the ninja outside Konoha. He wasn't planning on leaving his desk when he got back to the village as well so he didn't really care as well.

"How are you going to get the information to Konoha if you are going to stay here?" Yukata asked.

"I have more than a couple of ways in mind." Shikamaru didn't want to tell them his exact plan so he kept that information to himself.

"You're just going to use Ino to send the information." Kankuro was definitely a quick thinker but he didn't really think all that deep. Slow and steady did win the race even though quick and dirty dealt the most damage.

"That would be ideal but there are more than one way to get a message to Konoha from here." Checkmate. They had no other moves to make. Any action they would take right now would result in a possible war between at least two of the three nations, if not all three.

"Shikamaru has you beat. Even you have to see that by now Baki." Sasuke was a little too perceptive. Maybe that's why Shikamaru didn't like him very much; the Uchiha was one of the only people who could challenge his intelligence.

"We will be leaving then. Those two ninja at your feet are from Sunagakure, do you have a problem if we take them back to Sunagakure?" Baki asked him.

"You shouldn't be asking me that. We are only guests in this nation. These two ninja attacked us in the Land of Earth therefore it is up to the representatives of this nation to decide that." Everyone followed Shikamaru's gaze as he turned to Kurotsuchi and her team.

"You can take them. Gives us less work to do." Kurotsuchi answered them.

"Great. Everything is settled then." Shikamaru immediately knelt down and picked up both shinobi as Kankuro and Temari came to fetch them.

"You're still a naïve little boy." Temari commented as she took one of the shinobi from Shikamaru.

"Temari, I have to ask you this question, what have I ever done to you that made you so angry at me?" She didn't answer him and just continued walking towards her allies.

"You'll get your day Shikamaru." Came her response as she followed Baki leading the Suna-nin back from where they came from.

"You certainly know how to make friends Shikamaru." Kurotsuchi sarcastically stated.

"I know. It's one of my strong suits." His sarcasm was equally prominent. "Can we go to Iwagakure now? This morning has been way too long already."

"The sun hasn't even properly risen." Akatsuchi replied. He reminded him of Choji; both were fun and joyful ninja but when they were on the battlefield then they were fierce and focused.

"Before you guys go, can I talk to Naruto and Sakura?" He knew that Sasuke didn't really care about Shikamaru's answer since he was going to do it anyway.

"Yeah. Everyone can take a quick rest then we will make our way to Iwagakure." Shikamaru nodded at Sasuke then saw Sakura and walk off with the Uchiha. He felt a little jealous that Sasuke was talking to Sakura privately even if Naruto was with them. Kurenai told him that Sakura will always love Sasuke so it didn't sit well with Shikamaru to see them going off on their own. He wasn't the jealous type but he couldn't help it. There was no way he could compete with Sasuke. He was her first love as well so he had more than enough reason to be jealous.  
It's not like they were in a relationship right? They just shared a few kisses and told each other how much they wanted to be together but they haven't actually gone out on a date or anything. Did they really need to though? They grew up together and basically knew everything about each other, well almost everything. Their relationship status was as unknown to everyone else as it was to them. He let out a frustrated sigh then looked up at the sky that began brightening up.

"My life just got way too troublesome."


	14. Chapter 14

**HEY GUYS AND GIRLS. THIS CHAPTER IS BACK TO MY ORIGINAL LENGTH WHICH ODDLY TOOK LONGER TO TYPE FOR SOME REASON. ANYWAY, I APPRECIATE THE FEEDBACK SO THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO REVIEWED, FAVOURITED AND IS FOLLOWING THIS STORY. I HOPE I AM NOT LETTING YOU GUYS AND GIRLS DOWN TOO MUCH. I WILL TRY TO DO BETTER.**

 **HAPPY READING:)**

"Tsuchikage-sama; Shikamaru is here to see you." Akatsuchi announced then allowed the Nara to enter the elegant office of the Tsuchikage. He confidently strode up to the old man's desk like he would've done in Konoha then gave a deep bow.

"Greetings Tsuchikage-sama." A Kage was one person you didn't want as an enemy so Shikamaru didn't want to disrespect Onoki.

"No need to be so formal Shikamaru. This façade you put on with Baki doesn't suit you or any member of your clan really." He wasn't really surprised that the Tsuchikage knew the workings of his clan. Shikaku often accompanied Hiruzen to meet the other Kage. It was no surprise since his father was the Jounin Commander and often led the Konohan Military. Every one of the Kage knew his father so obviously they would want as much information on him and the entire clan.

"My apologies then." Shikamaru immediately put his hands in his pockets and rested his body. If the Tsuchikage wanted him to act normally then he would do just that.

"I heard you nearly dragged us into a war." Kurotsuchi probably informed her grandfather about the events of his mission that occurred while she was there. He didn't see her after she led them into the village. She and Akatsuchi came straight to Onoki while they were led to apartments where they could rest. Shikamaru led Ino to a room so that they could communicate with Kakashi privately on what their next steps would be given the information he just received.

"It was a calculated risk. Gaara recently overcame an uprising in his nation so there was no way he would permit Baki to start a war with one of their biggest allies."

"From what my granddaughter told me, you and your Yamanaka friend have classified information which is the reason for the war. Want to share some information with one of your allies?" Onoki was cunning, more so than Shikamaru was. Granted the Tsuchikage had way more experience than Shikamaru had but for someone who was often associated with the phrase 'sitting on the fence', he definitely spearheaded the drive for enhancing their pool of information about other villages.

"Kakashi ordered me not to say anything and out of respect for Gaara, I will not divulge the information as well." His tone was serious as he spoke hoping that the Tsuchikage won't push the issue any further.

"I didn't expect you to say anything. I will find out sooner or later though." He didn't doubt that. "Kakashi sent you a letter."

"How did he know I would come here after the mission?" That was a good question. He didn't tell Kakashi that he would be coming here. Maybe he just assumed that the lazy ninja would make his way to the main village.

"I guess your Hokage knows you better than you think." Onoki handed the unopened scroll to the Nara. Shikamaru immediately opened the scroll and recognised Shizune's perfect handwriting rather than Kakashi's. He immediately sighed as his mood turned sour while reading the scroll.  
"Not good news I take it." Onoki said as Shikamaru rolled up the scroll.

"I was supposed to join the meeting with the Daimyo today but I couldn't because of this mission so he requested that I attend the Daimyo's Ball next week." Shikamaru informed HIM.

"Is he at least letting you bring a partner?" He could tell that the Tsuchikage was being sarcastic with his question. He felt relieved knowing that the older ninja had a sense of humour and a playful side. He was definitely a peculiar Kage. Hell, all of the Kage were peculiar in their own way.

"Is that not a requirement when being asked to a ball?" Shikamaru was definitely going to engage in this battle of words. It was friendly and a way to build a relationship with the Tsuchikage even if it was a small step in the right direction.

"That's true. Being invited to the Daimyo's Ball is no small thing though."

"What can I expect from it?"

"A lot of nosy, irritating but important people."

"I'm guessing you feel right at home there." Shikamaru didn't know if that comment was going to offend the Tsuchikage or not but he felt comfortable enough to test his limits.

"Where else do you expect me to get information?" Onoki clearly enjoyed Shikamaru's jab as he chuckled. "I will introduce you to a few people that might interest you. They were friends of your father so I suggest you continue that relationship."

"More work. Is it too late for me to back out yet?"

"Only if you want to end up in a jail cell for treason."

"Is attendance that compulsory?"

"Seeing as you blew him off to go on a mission once already, I suggest you don't push him. When he threatens someone with war, he actually goes through with it. That's the difference between a Daimyo and a Kage." He knew the difference between those two positions all too well but he just chose to ignore it. As long as the Daimyo didn't bother him then he wouldn't bother the Daimyo, as simple as that.

"Any suggestions on how to deal with a Daimyo?" Any advice Onoki could give him would be appreciated. He wouldn't turn it down anyway.

"The Daimyo has a negative impression of you already but he never really had a positive impression about your father. If I am being honest, I think your father scared him a little so maybe you could follow your father's lead and make the Daimyo afraid of you. Obviously don't threaten him like you did with Baki because then you will be locked up." Onoki laughed at his last statement while Shikamaru sighed.

"Troublesome." He muttered under his breath.

"You're a smart boy Shikamaru, you will figure it out." Onoki gave him a nod of approval.

"Thank you for giving us permission to carry out our mission in your nation." Shikamaru gave the older shinobi a bow.

"You know full well what we were planning to do." Onoki confirmed Shikamaru's suspicions. He really was setting them up to fail.

"Sorry to ruin your plans then."

"If I knew that you were leading the mission then I wouldn't have bothered."

"You give me too much credit."

"I don't give you enough. Your father at your age was half the man you are right now."

"He will always be twice the man I could hope to achieve."

"That's only because you are looking to compete with him. Piece of advice Shikamaru; no one can compete with the Nara Clan when it comes to your intelligence and strategic abilities so stop comparing yourself to your father and start growing your own legacy. Leave the comparisons to other people." Onoki's words were stern and strong and Shikamaru took it to heart. He knew the older man had more experience so he should accept the sage wisdom that the Tsuchikage could give.

"I will. Thank you Tsuchikage-sama."

"What is your next step?"

"We will be staying the night here then make our way to Sunagakure. Kakashi wants me to try and rebuild our relationship so that there is no tension between our two nations."

"That's probably a good idea. Gaara and Kakashi will be at the Daimyo's Ball so it will be best if they can sort this out before it reaches the Daimyos."

"I agree. We don't need a war disrupting this false idea of peace right now."

"A pretty negative view point you have there."

"If there are groups of ninja's abandoning their village's and going rogue and lowlife thieves grouping together to kill innocent people and destroy villages, how can we call it peace?"

"If you think of it like that, peace can only be attained when there is no longer a need for shinobi then."

"There would be no need for Kages then as well."

"On the contrary; people would need a pillar of strength to hold onto so that they know their village's can prosper. Big villages such as Iwa and Konoha need to have a leader."

"That's why there are Daimyos."

"Daimyos never preside in their major villages. That's why they appoint Kage to rule for them."

"What's stopping the Kage from overthrowing the Daimyo then? If the Kage are really the strongest shinobi in their villages then they should be able to overthrow the Daimyo easily." The Tsuchikage was at a loss for words. He was clearly defeated in their verbal bout and Shikamaru knew it.

"Touché." Onoki put his hand to his mouth and cleared his throat again before speaking. "You have a knack for starting conflict it seems."

"My apologies Tsuchikage-sama." Shikamaru gave another bow.

"Grandpa, you have a message from the Hokage." Kurotsuchi announced as she entered the room. "You're still here Shikamaru. Thought you wanted to go sleep."

"I was just wrapping things up with your grandfather." Shikamaru explained as she handed the scroll over to him then leaned against his desk as she faced the Nara.

"Get off my desk Kurotsuchi." Onoki didn't look up from the scroll as he said that. This must've been a habit of Kurotsuchi.

"It's not going to be your desk for much longer. Hurry up and retire already old man." That was nothing new from Kurotsuchi. Shikamaru knew that she wanted her grandfather to retire but he didn't believe that she wanted him to retire solely because she thought he was too old. He didn't bother asking her as well. He didn't see her or the Tsuchikage frequently so that information wasn't going to be of any use to him anyway.  
"So Shikamaru, I haven't heard a lot about you since the war. You took over as head of your clan then seemed to just disappear. What have you been up to?" She definitely was inquisitive. Her tone was playful as usual but he could tell that her mind was as sharp as Ino's so she would hang onto every word her says.

"I was in the village. Trying to understand what being the head of a clan actually meant." That wasn't a complete lie but it wasn't the whole truth either. They fought together once so they were comrades but that didn't mean that they were friends so he didn't need to explain himself in detail.

"For a whole month though. I'm sure you had other things to do." She was definitely as persistent as Ino. Was every girl as troublesome as this?

"Kurotsuchi." The way Onoki said her name was a clear warning to the kunoichi. Their eyes locked in a non-verbal battle between the two before Kurotsuchi backed down.  
"Sorry about that Shikamaru. I know the months after the war have been difficult for you." At least Onoki had more sense than his granddaughter.

"I got through it. I'm moving forward so what's in the past can stay there."

"It seems like you're doing more than just moving forward." Onoki rolled up the scroll again and turned his attention to the Konoha-nin.  
"Kakashi says that you're going to be addressing the Kage at the Daimyo's ball; what do you want to discuss?"

"I honestly don't know what I will be discussing exactly. I have to talk to Kakashi-sensei about it first."

"Come on Shikamaru. You have to have some idea." It was scary how much Kurotsuchi was acting like Ino right now.

"If it is about what I think it is then the information I received earlier changes everything. I need to discuss it with the Hokage first before I can attempt to discuss it with anyone else." He wasn't going to budge and it didn't look like Kurotsuchi was either.

"Whatever it is, I look forward to meeting with the Kage. Do you know if Lady Tsunade will be there Shikamaru?" Onoki had a devilish grin on his face as he said that last part.

"Stop being a pervert old man." For some reason this reminded him of Naruto's relationship with Jiraiya-sensei. Naruto always complained about the Sannin's perverse nature yet their bond was unrivalled. He remembered how hard Jiraiya's death hit Naruto. It was the same with him with his father and Asuma. Jiraiya was like a father and mentor all in one for Naruto yet the blond ninja was able to move on and get stronger. If the Uzumaki could get through it and become stronger then so can he.

"Uhm... as I was saying, I would like to thank Lady Tsunade for healing me during the war. If it wasn't for her then I probably wouldn't be here today." Onoki explained.

"Yeah right."

"What are you still doing here? And get off my desk!"

"Yeah yeah, I'm going grandpa." Kurotsuchi said as she pushed herself off the desk. "Let's go Shikamaru. I will show you around while the old man gets some rest."

"Excuse me then Tsuchikage-sama." Shikamaru gave the man a bow before following his granddaughter out of the elegant office. They began making their way out of the building that fit in perfectly with the surroundings. The whole village was basically built inside natural structures.

"You've probably been asked this question a lot but have you taken over your father's positions?" She was still looking to get information out of him but this time her tone was serious. She was looking to gossip or use the information for any personal gain; this was purely for shinobi purposes.

"I haven't. I'm one of the Hokage's advisers."

"Still a high ranking position. Planning on becoming hokage?" Did everyone think that was the natural step for him? Did he give off that vibe?

"That's Naruto's position. When he finishes his studies then he'll naturally be next in line for the Hokage position."

"That's not a 'no'." Did she have to focus on that?

"I am basically in the position right now that if Kakashi-sensei and Lady Tsunade are unable to be in the village for some reason then I will act the Hokage until they return. It will be the same when Naruto becomes Hokage and allows me to stay in this position." That was true. He was basically given permission to hand out missions and now he was going to address all five Kage at the Daimyo's Ball so he was definitely taking on roles that a Kage would take on. He would be a fit candidate to be an acting Hokage.  
"Unlike you, I have a choice if I want to become the Hokage. You don't have a choice when it comes to the Tsuchikage position."

"I've never protested about becoming the Tsuchikage." That was true. Unlike Naruto, Kurotsuchi never openly declared that she was going to be the Tsuchikage. Maybe everyone just accepted that she would be.

"You never exactly showed any enthusiasm towards becoming the Tsuchikage either."

"I don't need to. I think being the descendant of the first Tsuchikage and the granddaughter of the Third Tsuchikage is enough enthusiasm I need."

"Sounds troublesome."

"You couldn't avoid your destiny of becoming the head of your clan so I can't avoid my destiny of becoming the Tsuchikage. We just have to accept it."

"True." Despite her childish and easy-going nature, Kurotsuchi was an intelligent and witty ninja. He liked that about her.

"Kurotsuchi-sensei." A young girl ran up to the jounin then stopped and tried to catch her breath. "Sato tried his stupid rock bullet technique and got hurt."

"I swear I am going to kill him one day." Kurotsuchi's frustration was evident. "I have to go Shikamaru. I will see you tonight or before you leave tomorrow."

"Good luck." Shikamaru replied then watched the two kunoichi run to their comrades aid. Shikamaru sighed then stretched his arms before putting it behind his head and looked up at the peaceful sky. It was the perfect day to lay around on a hill under a tree but he didn't see any grassy patches in or around the village where he could lay and get lost in the sky. He decided to make his way to his room that Kurotsuchi had shown him to earlier. He hoped that no one from his team was causing any trouble around the village; especially Naruto and Kiba. He didn't need them destroying anything.  
He reached the dull apartment he was sharing with Naruto and Hinata (no one else wanted to share an apartment with the couple but he didn't care in the least) a few minutes later and went straight to the shower. It had been a long time since he washed him so he definitely needed a deep cleansing. He tossed his clothes on the floor of the bathroom then stepped into the shower and turned the water on to its hottest. He loved the feeling of the hot water burning its way down his body hopefully cleansing his skin of the initial dirt before he properly cleaned himself. After he finished, he wrapped a towel around his dripping body then sauntered over to the kitchen area. He opened the refrigerator then grabbed a bottle of water and drained it before he heard the door open. He looked up and saw Hinata standing in the lounge with a shocked looked on her face and a creeping blush invading her cheeks.

"Sorry about this Hinata. I just stepped out of the shower." He didn't want to make this more awkward than it already was. Hinata was the purest person he knew so seeing him like that was probably 'immoral' in her books. Maybe she was only surprised to see him with his hair down. It was irritating him that it was dripping down his back as well. He didn't know what was going on in her head and he didn't want to even try to guess so he allowed her to make the next move.

"It's o-okay. I just c-c-came to fetch something." She nervously made her way to the room she was sharing with her blonde boyfriend. He picked up an apple then took a bite into it before making his way into his bedroom. He made his way to the rather large window and looked out at the peaceful nature of the villagers passing by. He always imagined the villagers to be stern and aggressive in the Earth Nation yet all the villagers he encountered were nothing but friendly and helpful. Guess you can't really judge a book by it's cover.  
He finished his apple then heard Hinata leave the apartment and saw her walking away from the building so he stood up and tossed the core of the apple in the trash can before drying his warm body. He wanted to go sleep and hopefully replenish his energy after the morning he had so he left his hair down. His body was still burning hot so he only put on his underwear and fell onto the bed. He closed his eyes but it didn't take long for his fatigue to finally consume his body and cause his sharp mind to shut down.

A slight shift next to him woke the lazy ninja up. He probably turned in his sleep since he found himself positioned on his left side. A sense of irritation immediately took over but was quickly replaced with curiosity when he felt his arms wrapped around something. He registered the feeling in his head; soft, smooth, warm. He was pretty sure that he fell asleep alone and Hinata had left the apartment so there shouldn't be anyone next to him. He opened his eyes then saw a pair of soft emerald eyes staring back at him. A smile crept across his lips as he could see the amusement on her face.

"What are you doing?" He wrapped his arms tighter around her as her body warmth heated his cooled body. He noticed that she was wearing a grey sleeveless top that ran all the way down to her mid-thigh region. He could see her pink sports bra that was peeking out from her sleeveless top.

"I was sleeping but then I woke up a couple of minutes ago so I watched you sleep." Her answer was casual as she ran her delicate hands over his toned stomach then across his chest.

"That's a little creepy."

"Do you have a problem with it?" Her stare was playful yet challenging as she looked up the Nara and moved her arms around his neck.

"No. People generally find it creepy though." He found it difficult to concentrate while she seduced his body with her touch. He knew she was purposefully doing it but he was damn sure not going to stop her. She moved her head closer to his as he breath mixed with his. He moved his left hand across her back then snaked his right hand down her back, over her soft butt then stopped by her bare thighs. Two can play this game.

"As long as you don't find it creepy then I don't care what anyone else thinks." Her lips brushed over his as she spoke. A silenced followed her words as both of them teased each other with none of them wanting to make the first move. Their hunger finally became insatiable as their lips finally met each other in a passionate battle. Their desire for each other took over and drove their need for each other's lips and body. Their tongues finally found their way to each other as he gave her smooth thigh a gentle squeeze while she began grinding her body against his. He allowed her to take control and immediately found her on top of him when she rolled him on his back.  
She lowered her head and smiled at him as he returned her smile. She was clearly enjoying it just as much as he was. She was perfect, all he ever dreamed she would be and now he was able to show her how much she meant to him. Her lips collided with his once again as they indulged in their kiss once again. Both his hands began making their way up her things under her top. He reached her underwear and fiddled with her straps before pushing his hands under them. His hands then snaked around to her butt and gave each cheek a squeeze causing her to moan while her lips were still pressed firmly against his.

"You're such a tease you know." She battled to say while not breaking their kiss.

"As long as I'm not creepy." His jab at her caused her to gently pull his hair then bury her hands in his soft hair before resuming her kiss. He took his hands out of her underwear then began lifting her top up. She knew what he wanted so she broke their kiss and sat up as she removed the piece of clothing covering most of her body. He took control back and gently picked her up and turned them around so that she was under him this time.

"Taking the initiative; this is not like you Shikamaru." She was enjoying teasing him for a change and he could see it.

"That's because you haven't seen me in this situation." He replied then lowered his head but put his mouth to her ear. "There's a reason why I rest so much." He gently bit her ear before placing a trail of kisses along her jaw to her lips. She hungrily attacked his lips again as he grabbed her legs and wrapped them around him. He removed his lips from hers then moved them down to her subtle neck and began nipping and sucking her flesh there. His hands began moving over her firm stomach then found their way to her soft breasts covered by her sports bra. He slipped his hands under the fabric and moved them around her fleshy mounds while he placed kisses around her neck. Her moans urged him on as she massaged her breasts then teased her hardened nipples with his thumbs. Her hands found their way to his hair again and pulled his head down lower to where his hands were working.  
Both of them got lost in the pleasure of each other. They were absorbed in the act of romance they were engaging in. They didn't care about anything other than making their partner enjoy this. An air of satisfaction surrounded their blissful minds.

"Seriously!" Why, just why? It could only be her to ruin this perfect moment. It could only be her to snatch his happiness away from him. It could only be Ino.  
Both Shikamaru and Sakura reluctantly stopped then turned to Ino who had a frustrated expression on her face.  
"You leave me alone with everyone to hump his brains out?" He felt relieved that Ino's anger was directed at Sakura rather than at him for once.  
"And you, Mr Leader, how can you be doing this when we are still on a mission? You are supposed to set an example. Couldn't you guys wait until we were back in Konoha?" There it was. His relief was cut short with that. He should've expected that. Ino always found something to criticise him about. At least this time her criticism was justified.  
"Urgh, I'm not talking to both of you. Get up and get dressed, we're going to have dinner with the rest of the team." Ino stormed out of the room but he could hear her take a seat in the lounge area. He rolled off Sakura and laid on his back next to her.

"She says she's not talking to us but she's waiting for us to get dressed so that she can take us to dinner with the rest of our friends." Sakura stated.

"I've learnt my lesson not to question Ino's logic when she's angry." Both of them laughed, lightening the mood. He turned his head and looked at the beautiful girl next to him. She looked at him as well and smiled then moved closer to him and gave him a brief but passionate kiss.

"She's not going to leave so unless you want her to come dress you, I suggest you do what she wants." Sakura instructed him as she stood up. He groaned then stood up as well. His clothes were in the bathroom so he made his way out of the room and dragged himself to the bathroom and dressed him there. He tied his hair up in the usual Nara fashion for the guys then exited the bathroom.  
"Why did you tie it up again?" Sakura asked him as she stopped him before he entered his room. "I liked it down."

"I feel weird going out and not having it like this." He replied as he saw her fully dressed as well. "I like you better in your underwear as well." He moved closer to her then lowered his head and gave her a kiss.

"We can't always get what we want." She replied as she gently pushed him away.

"I want you and I will make sure that I get you." He gave her a sly smile before she grabbed him and brought him closer for a kiss.

"You guys are seriously testing me right now." He forgot about Ino in the apartment.

"Like I said, we can't always get what we want." She ran her thumb over his lips then sneaked past him. He couldn't help but smile. She was definitely more experienced in this game that they were playing but he had a few tricks up his sleeve as well. He put on his shoes then made his way to the lounge where both girls were sitting. Ino silently stood up and began exiting the apartment.

"Are we supposed to follow you Ino?" He knew that he was irritating her with that question but he wasn't a fan of hers right now and she wasn't a fan of his either so it was even.

"Do whatever you guys want." Ino replied as he and Sakura exited the building behind her.

"Really Ino?" Sakura was clearly on his side right now as they looked at each other with an amused expression.

"Fuck you guys." Ino angrily marched over to them then hooked her arm around Sakura's and began walking ahead of Shikamaru. He had to let out a chuckle at his victory over the Yamanaka. She really was like his sister.


	15. Chapter 15

**HEY GUYS AND GIRLS. I'M PRETTY SURE I'M FAILING MY EXAMS BUT IT'S WORTH IT IF I GET TO TYPE MORE. IF I SUDDENLY DISAPPEAR FOR A MONTH THEN JUST KNOW THAT MY MOM PROBABLY TOOK MY LAPTOP AWAY FROM ME. I'LL TRY TO TYPE AT SCHOOL SOMEWHERE THOUGH BUT I MAKE NO PROMISES.**

 **HAPPY READING:)**

"Hey, what did Sasuke want earlier?" Kiba suddenly asked the group as they sat in one of the booths around a perfectly chiselled stone table draped in a blue tablecloth. He had wondered that question himself as well. Sasuke pitching up out of the blue was as much a surprise to him as the rest of the group but Naruto seemed like he had been expecting the Uchiha. Did he sense his former teammate nearing them? Did it have something to do with the information that Shikamaru had found out thanks to the Suna-nin they had defeated?

"You two spoke to him after the battle; what did he want?" This certainly caught Ino's attention as everyone turned to the members of Team 7. Sakura and Naruto looked at each other but the panic on Naruto's face was evident.

"Um... he just wanted to see how we were doing." Naruto's quick response didn't fool anyone. Hell, if anyone believed that line then they really didn't deserved to be called a ninja. He looked around the table to see the reactions of everyone but no one looked like they were buying it. Even Choji stopped eating and stared at the blonde Uzumaki who had his hand behind his head and had a nervous smile on his face.

"Sasuke never wastes energy on trivial matters such as that." Shino pointed out. Shikamaru wasn't sure how Shino knew that but he had to agree with the Aburame. Sasuke didn't seem like the type that would help them on a mission then request to speak to his former teammates because he wanted to see how they were doing. Something was definitely intriguing his attention there.

"Yeah. What did Sasuke really want Naruto?" Kiba's aggressive nature clearly fuelled him right now. All Shikamaru wanted was that they don't make a scene and destroy something.

"He just happened to be passing through the Earth Nation and bumped into us." Naruto answered again but he was just digging a deeper hole for himself.

"Sasuke said that he was tracking the ninja from Suna." Choji reminded him. Naruto was the idiot who asked Sasuke why he was there anyway. Why would Naruto lie about what Sasuke was really doing there?

"Yeah Naruto. Stop lying." Ino's aggression seemed to match Kiba's now. That was Shikamaru's limit. He couldn't handle another person with as much energy as the two of them right now.

"Leave him alone." That was surprising. He didn't expect Sakura to stand up for Naruto like that but she was also under questioning so maybe she was just trying to direct everyone's attention to her so that Naruto didn't break under the pressure. Pretty smart move then. He knew that Sakura wouldn't crack very easily under pressure, especially if her friends were the one interrogating her.

"You tell us then Forehead; what did Sakura want?" Why couldn't he catch a break with them. If it wasn't Kiba and Naruto then it was Sakura and Ino or the four of them together. Couldn't they just be as chilled as Shino, Hinata or Choji?

"None of your business Pig." Sakura was definitely not standing down under Ino's stare. They engaged in a silent battle while everyone watched the two of them.

"If it happens during our mission then it is our 'business' as you put it." Poor Shino. If looks could kill then Sakura just destroyed the hell out of him.

"Exactly. Spill it." Ino was definitely latching on to Shino's words and using it asher ammunition to try and make Naruto and Sakura surrender.

"Shikamaru didn't tell us about Gaara's situation." He had to give Naruto credit for trying. Out of battle, Naruto was just one stupid guy. Hell, everyone besides Shino was like that. It was probably a requirement if you wanted to join their group.

"Gaara's situation in Sunagakure does not affect our mission therefore Shikamaru did not need to inform us of Gaara's situation." This was interesting. Why was Shino fighting so hard to find out what Sasuke had told Sakura and Naruto? Did Shino perhaps know something that Shikamaru didn't? That wouldn't surprise him. He was pretty sure Shino spied on everyone in the village through his bugs so he probably knew things he shouldn't. Hell, he probably knew things he wished he didn't know. But why did he want to know what Sasuke said?

"Even if you don't want to tell us, you have a duty to tell your captain so that he can decide whether or not the information directly affects your current mission or not." He was impressed. For Kiba to bring up the rules of being a shinobi during a mission was very surprising seeing as he often ended up breaking more than a few especially if he was with Naruto. Maybe all those extra lessons of being forced to learn the rules by heart finally paid off.

"Kiba's right so spill." Ino ordered them. He didn't need to know why Ino wanted the information. Most of her time was spent gathering information on anything and everything.

"We're not telling you guys anything." Naruto was definitely going to stand his ground and Shikamaru knew how stubborn he could be. This dinner just turned into such a drag.

"Before this turns violent, Kiba is right and as the Hokage's Advisor I have an obligation and right to know what Sasuke said even if it doesn't affect our mission right now. If it does then I need to know even more so are you guys going to tell us here or do you want to go outside?" He felt tired after just saying that. It was an unnecessarily long speech and he hated every word of it. It just meant more work for him. Naruto and Sakura turned to each other, none of them willing to say anything. He knew that if they went outside and spoke then Kiba could possibly still overhear and Shino's bugs would probably be listening in as well so there was no point in going outside.

"What Sasuke said cannot be repeated unless it is in the presence of the hokage. There is a rule stating that if classified mission was uncovered during a mission then that information would not be spoken about until the mission was completed and we are back in the village." Sakura was right. She was paraphrasing the rule a bit differently to suit her but she was right nonetheless. Somehow he felt betrayed. Didn't she trust him?

"So you don't want to tell your boyfriend what your ex told you?" That was uncalled for of Ino but that reminded him of Sasuke and Sakura's relationship which opened up a whole new list of reasons why Sakura wouldn't want to tell him, let alone the rest of the group. Was there something going on between the two of them that she didn't want him to know about? He could understand why Naruto was trusted with that information since his loyalty to Sasuke was unsinkable but why didn't they trust Shikamaru? Did he do something to break their bond? Was not revealing Gaara's situation in Sunagakure that big of a deal?

"It's not like that Ino!"

"Really? Your ex appears and has some secret conversation with you and doofus over there then you I find you trying to hump your way past this conversation with lazy ass over here. Did you really think that just because you were sleeping with the captain that you would get a free pass?" Ino went so far overboard there but her logic was surprisingly sensible. Maybe Sakura was trying to keep him from asking questions about Sasuke by sleeping with him. He knew Sakura could be crafty and devious at times but could she really be this heartless?

"Ino, shut up and let it go." Shikamaru ordered her as he let out a sigh. He looked over at Sakura but she refused to make eye contact with anyone. Her actions weren't exactly screaming 'innocent'. Was Ino actually right?  
"Troublesome." He released under his breath. He was left with a ton of questions and less than a handful of answers. This was really irritating him.

"So you and Sakura." Kiba had his devilish grin on his face immediately furthering Shikamaru's irritation. Why did Ino have to bring it up now of all times?

"Nothing happened..." Shikamaru tried to say but was rudely interrupted by no one other than his blonde teammate.

"Only because I stepped in and stopped you guys." Ino reminded him.

"You're not supposed to be having sex while you're on a mission Shikamaru." He knew Choji had a perfect sense of justice but sometimes he hated his best friend's innocence.

"Shikamaru's first mission after the war, as a captain no less, and he breaks the rules. I expected better from you Shikamaru." Kiba's amusement couldn't have been concealed even if there was a mountain between them. He was definitely not going to let this go.

"Like I said; nothing happened so move on." He loved his friends but sometimes they were just too troublesome.  
"We're leaving for Sunagakure tomorrow. We'll go through the Land of Birds and see if the bandits did any damage. We'll spend the night there then we will cross the desert the next day." Shikamaru informed them.

"Are you sure that going to Suna after what happened earlier is really the best decision Shikamaru?" Shino was way too sharp for him right now.

"It might not be the best decision but Suna is our best ally right now so we cannot have strained relations with them. I'm going to try and sort out our issues and maybe Kakashi-sensei and Gaara can have a conversation as well. Gaara has done nothing but support us so this is the least we can do." He hoped that explanation silenced all their questions. He didn't need to be opening up a new can of worms for them to interrogate.

"I agree. Gaara needs our help right now too." Naruto was certainly in a better mood now. Shikamaru wasn't just going to forget about him not revealing what Sasuke said but for the sake of his sanity for the rest of the night, the lazy ninja was prepared to let it go, for now at least.

"Are we just going to ignore the fact that Shikamaru and Sakura are sleeping together?" Kiba was certainly more interested in that but it seemed like he was the only one.

"You shut up as well." Shikamaru lazily ordered him. He couldn't take any more of this conversation. He needed a change of topic and he knew the perfect thing to talk about.  
"Shino, I never knew you had a summoning." Everyone's attention immediately turned to the bug master. Looks like that worked.

"Yeah. What was that insect?" Ino asked him. He immediately used that as his cue to tune out of the conversation. He needed to relax and they had found something else to talk about so they wouldn't be bothering him right now. It was the perfect time. He took a sip of drink as their conversation sounded further and further away from him. The quiet noise of his mind drowned out their voices until there was nothing but peace and quiet.

"Shikamaru!" Why did she constantly disrupt his peace? It was like her sole purpose for living was to make sure that his harmony ended up shattered. He wanted to hate her so much but she was his family whether he liked it or not. Damn Ino.  
He finally turned his attention to the group who was joined by Kurotsuchi and Akatsuchi. The two of them never seemed to be separated. He knew that Akatsuchi was loyal to the Tsuchikage but did that automatically mean that he would be loyal to Kurotsuchi as well?

"Hey guys." He gave them a polite greeting albeit informal.

"Why were you zoning out like that?" Kurotsuchi quizzically looked at him but he had his usual bored expression moulded onto his face.

"He always does that. He is weird." It will only be Ino who would answer them like that. He didn't really care though. What people thought about him was none of his business.

"I thought I told you to shut up." He lazily prodded her head.

"Don't do that baka." He knew Ino would get upset by that but she deserved it, that's how he reasoned at least.

"So she is your girlfriend." Kurotsuchi concluded as she came closer to the table like she was looking for answers. Ino turned to Shikamaru and burst into annoying laughter.

"Sakura is Shikamaru's girlfriend. Ino is like his sister." Kiba informed the Iwa-nin.

"Oh. That's even more interesting." She was definitely turning out to be just as troublesome as Ino. He hated it.

"I found them in bed earlier as well." Looks like Ino found her companion for the night. The two of them irritated him already. He drained his glass then allowed his mind to sink back into nothingness.

"I officially hate the desert." Ino complained as they walked up to passage between the two cliff faces leading into Sunagakure two days later. The sun had just started to end it's shift for the day as they approached the entrance into the village. Just like Iwagakure, Sunagakure's natural defence made it nearly impossible to attack from the ground.

"I agree with Ino for once. These sandstorms are a pain in the ass." Kiba and Akamaru had been complaining about the sand getting stuck in their nostrils every time they checked for any possible attackers throughout their journey through the desert. He didn't blame them. The first time Shikamaru had crossed the desert, he had complained about it but there was no way around it so he was forced to accept it. Ino definitely wasn't going to accept it any time soon though.

"Well we made it so you two can stop complaining." Shikamaru could see three shinobi present at the entrance and they seemed like they were waiting for the group. He wasn't surprised there; Kakashi probably sent a message to Gaara about their visit so this was to be expected. They silently approached the three shinobi; one of them unsurprisingly happened to be Baki.

"Here to threaten us with a war again?" Baki asked the Nara.

"We came in peace. We're ready to share the information." The jounin looked at him sceptically but motioned for them to follow him.

"Why the change of heart?"

"It's a time of peace. We don't need any animosity between villages right now."

"Is that the only reason?"

"Kakashi-sensei wants us to keep the peace. Gaara is our friend as well so we might as well be friendly with each other." A smile formed on the older ninja's face as he walked next to Shikamaru.

"Keeping your friends close."

"Something like that." His smile seemed to infect Shikamaru as well as he grinned. They made their way into the village littered with clay and stucco buildings and vendors lining the streets, selling everything from food to clothes to shinobi gear. It was a really calm atmosphere in the village considering the failed hostile take over that happened a couple of weeks ago.

"If you have time, mind looking over our defences?" That wasn't a strange request to ask the Nara. When he and Temari were still dating then he would frequently visit Sunagakure and assist Baki with the defence and military of the village. At one point Gaara even offered him a position as the Kazekage's advisor.

"Sure. I could use a good riddle to solve. I'm the Hokage's advisor now so I could always use that information against you guys so are you sure you want me to see it?"

"You might threaten us with war but I know that you will never go through with it. You're a good person Shikamaru; don't forget that." Despite Baki being stern and scary to most ninja, he seemed to have developed a soft spot for the Nara. Shikamaru didn't really care about it but he always helped the older ninja where he could. Baki gave him a few pointers on his techniques as well so he was like another sensei to Shikamaru.

"Being good is such a drag."

"You're too lazy."

"I get that a lot."

"I wonder why." The two ninja lightly laughed at their own stupidity. It was a light hearted conversation to repair their relationship and it worked so they could afford to be a little stupid at the moment. He could hear the rest of his friends talking about something as well; hopefully not discussing anything that would cause trouble.

"You know the rest of the way. I will take your friends to the apartments they will be staying in." Baki informed him once they reached the massive building the Kazekage worked in at the heart of the village.

"Ino, you're coming with me." Shikamaru called her over. The two of them made their way inside the neatly decorated building. He knew that the village didn't have a lot in the way of decorations and ornaments but they did a lot with what they had. Simple yet elegant. They stopped by a wooden door and Shikamaru immediately knocked on it.

"Come in." Gaara's voice announced from the other side of the door. The two ninja entered the Kazekage's office with Ino closing the door behind them.

"Kazekage-sama." The two ninja bowed as they faced Gaara sitting behind his desk with as much paperwork as Kakashi usually had. Paperwork seemed to be the bulk of the work of being a Kage. Why did Naruto want to be the Hokage so badly then?

"Shikamaru, Ino; welcome. It's been a long time." Gaara addressed them.

"It's my first mission after the war." Shikamaru explained.

"How are you two holding up?" Gaara was really concerned about them. He didn't have as deep a bond as Naruto had with him but he considered Gaara to be a good friend of his. They had helped each other and worked with each other so much that there was no way they weren't.

"I'm good." Ino replied.

"One day at a time." Shikamaru answered him.

"I heard you threatened to have a repeat of the Third Shinobi War." Here it was, time to do business.

"I apologise for that. It was in the heat of the moment."

"You were threatened with imprisonment here in Suna so I guess it couldn't be helped." Gaara replied as he smiled. "That information is valuable to us though. Our torture and interrogation gathering techniques aren't as great as yours are so we haven't been able to get much information out of those ninja that you and your team took down."

"That's because I had Ino erase their memories. The information they had could be used to cause chaos in the wrong hands."

"Are you willing to share that information with us?"

"That's what we came here to do. The bandits that we were sent to take down were connected to the group of ninja that deserted this village."

"Any immediate danger?"

"There might be. The group of ninja that abandoned your village were after the Treasured Tools of the Sage of Six Paths."

"What did they hope to accomplish with that and how did that have anything to do with the bandits you took down?"

"I don't know what they were hoping to accomplish with those weapons but it couldn't be anything good. The gold and silver brothers are still sealed inside the Benihisago and they are already troublesome to deal with on their own. They hired the bandits as a cover. If the Kage paid more attention to the bandits destroying the villages in their nation then they might not notice or pay attention to the Treasured Tools going missing. Their might even be less security around them."

"You stopped both the bandits and the rogue Suna-nin so is there any more danger?"

"When we went through the mind of one of the bandits, I got a feeling that someone was working behind the scenes to control them and I guess that was the rogue ninja but I got the same feeling when we went through their mind. In order to get to the Treasured Tools that scattered across the different nations then they are going to need ninja from different villages and whoever was is pulling the strings managed to make a group of Suna-nin go rogue so that person could be targeting other ninja from different villages now."

"Any idea who it might be?" Gaara's question was filled with rage and anger but Shikamaru knew that it wasn't directed at him or Ino.

"I don't know but I think I know the reason why they targeted the ninja from this village first."

"Why is that?"

"The failed coup. The shinobi of this village were in a volatile situation so it was easier to convince them to desert the village. I thought that phase in this village had past."

"You and me both. It seems that even if the elders of this village aren't in a position of power, their ability to stir up chaos can not be subsided."

"Still trying to find out if you're strong enough to be the Kazekage, troublesome."

"They won't be bothering anyone anymore. I put them behind bars."

"If I may, I don't think that was the best decision." Gaara was seriously interested in Shikamaru's next words. The young Kazekage put down his pen and rested all his attention on the Nara.  
"If they are behind bars then they will still be around shinobi even if that shinobi are only meant to guard them. Like you said, their ability to stir up chaos cannot be subsided but it can be limited. If they are sent to an outlying village in their nation then they will not have as much influence. If you can't stop them, control them."

"My offer for you to be my advisor still stands." Gaara certainly agreed with his plan, even if he didn't exactly say it.

"Shikamaru already accepted the title of the Hokage's advisor." Ino interjected.

"Oh. The Hokage made a great choice. It was bound to happen though." Gaara certainly had more belief in the lazy ninja than he had himself. Gaara seemed to look at the good in people ever since he became Kazekage. It was irritating at first but at least he wasn't as energetic as Shizune in that department.

"Hopefully this is my first and last mission for a while. I accepted the position hoping to be forgotten behind a desk and not thrown into the line of fire."

"You've never been able to stay away from the front lines. Hell, Lady Tsunade tried to keep you in headquarters while your father mobilised the jounin but you always refused and said that you work better from there so why are you complaining now?" He was certain of it now; Ino's sole purpose for being on this earth was to make his life troublesome and she was going to enjoy it every day of her life.

"That situation was different. Now we are the heads of our clans and we have much more prominent positions in the village. Our lives are much more valuable now." He wasn't wrong. Both Ino and Shikamaru were irreplaceable in the village right now so they had to take better care of themselves.

"I'll take your advice into consideration Shikamaru." Gaara was clearly finished with the conversation. Shikamaru couldn't be more pleased about that. Just one more thing left to do.

"Now it's my turn. Buckle up Gaara." Ino made her way around the young Kazekage's desk then activated her jutsu and placed her small hands on his shoulder. Shikamaru slipped his hands into his pockets and closed his eyes allowing his body to rest a while. He hoped that the two Kages had a long conversation so that he had more time to stand around and do nothing. It would be better if he was sitting but standing still and not moving was good enough for him.

"Shikamaru." Gaara grabbed his attention. He didn't know how long his conversation with the Hokage was but he was pretty sure that it wasn't as long as he had hoped.

"Stop zoning out you lazy ass." Ino said as she stood next to him again.

"When did you start calling me that?"

"It's just natural." He eyed the blonde next to him then lazily turned his attention to the Kazekage.

"Kakashi and I want you to start looking for whoever is behind this whole thing. Of course you would have our support and I will bring this issue up with the other Kage during the Daimyos Ball but I am pretty sure that they will pledge their support as well. This..."

"Excuse my interruption Kazekage-sama but I did not agree to this mission." Shikamaru really didn't want to do this. It sounded like too much of a drag and he already had a lot on his plate. He had a clan to look after and he needed to prepare himself to address the five Kage about the continuation of the Allied Shinobi Force. He didn't need to be charged with looking for some hiding in the shadows and pulling the strings. If the person was good enough to get ninja to desert their village's and put together a group of bandits from every nation without being seen then that was definitely one troublesome person.

"Well who else knows more about this than you?" Ino definitely got him there. She didn't know as much as Shikamaru but she knew more than most.

"Such a drag." He responded as he turned his attention to Gaara again.

"No one is forcing you into this Shikamaru." He knew exactly what Gaara was going to say after that. He was going to say how this was the perfect mission for him and that his knowledge and analytical abilities put him in the best position to complete the mission. Maybe the red headed ninja would throw in a compliment or two to try and convince Shikamaru to do the mission. Gaara wasn't his Kage so he couldn't really assign this mission but Kakashi was probably going to do it anyway. Why did he agree to becoming a ninja again? This is such a drag.  
"You know, not listening to a Kage when they address you is a huge sign of disrespect Shikamaru." Gaara stared at him but Shikamaru couldn't care less.

"It's not like you or Kakashi are giving me an option even if you say that it's my choice." Challenging a Kage wasn't exactly a smart move but he wasn't backing down and Gaara didn't look like he was either. Something had to give and Ino didn't look like she was going to step in and save the day any time soon.  
"Anyway, the first step will be to find out how the ninja were persuaded to desert this village. I'm pretty sure that the person behind this used some sort of transformation technique so it could be anyone."

"How do you plan on finding that person then?" Gaara's tone was hostile but Shikamaru should've expected it.

"You can change your face but you can't change your words. Ino and I can go back into those rogue ninja's heads tomorrow and try to find this person before we leave." Gaara seemed a little impressed by Shikamaru's response. At least they were moving off the threats and hostility now and moving to more friendly and helpful territory.

"Very well." Gaara permitted them. He looked down at his paperwork again which they took as their cue to leave.

"Before we go, Naruto is in town so I suggest you go visit him before he comes and disturbs you here. You know that he has no boundaries so it would be best if you keep him away from your office." Shikamaru warned him. Gaara smiled then nodded in agreement before Shikamaru exited the room behind Ino.

"What are you going to do now?" Ino asked him.

"I'm going to go help Baki. I will see you tomorrow morning so don't party too much."

"You work too much."

"You can't complain when I am lazy and you complain when I am working. What can I do to please you?"

"Nothing. You're you and I'm me. It's my duty to complain about you." Ino gave him a smile then flipped her hair and began walking away.  
"Don't work too hard." She announced before she turned a corner.

"Troublesome woman."


	16. Chapter 16

**HEY GUYS AND GIRLS. I KNOW IT'S BEEN WAY TOO LONG AND I AM A BIT RUSTY RIGHT NOW BUT HERE'S THE NEXT CHAPTER. JUST TO INFORM YOU GUYS AND GIRLS, MY KEYBOARD IS BROKEN SO I AM HAVING A LITTLE DIFFICULTY IN TYPING ANYTHING SO I MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO POST CHAPTERS REGULARLY AND IF I DO THEN IT WON'T BE VERY LONG BUT I WILL TRY MY BEST. THANKS FOR BEING PATIENT WITH ME. I AM SORRY ABOUT MY ERRORS AS WELL. I KIND OF RUSHED THIS CHAPTER SO I AM SORRY IF IT'S THAT BAD AS WELL.**

 **HAPPY READING:)**

"Working late." Sakura's voice tore through his overworked brain, immediately bringing it back to life. He had just exited the kazekage tower in Sunagakure after tirelessly examining their entire defense system with Baki and trying to improve their relationship with the other nations, something they were sorely lacking. The moon shone proudly in the sky so it was clearly very late that night or early the next morning. He didn't bother checking the time before he left but he wasn't expecting the pinkette to be standing outside waiting for him.  
"You don't even work this much when we're in Konoha." She continued as she pushed herself off the wall then approached the shadow ninja.

"I just received another mission so I am going to busy for a while." They fell in step with each other as they made their way through the sandy streets of the village. It was extremely cold which shouldn't have been surprising since the village was literally built in a desert but he wasn't really feeling the cold and it didn't look like she was either.

"We're still technically on a mission so you can't really be sent on another mission." Sakura was technically right but he didn't think that the Kage cared about that fact.

"When 2 Kage give you a mission then I don't think that you have a choice." His hands rested in his pockets as usual and his body was in it's relaxed position as he looked up at the night sky.

"I guess not." She replied but he could tell that something was on her mind. It wasn't like her to give up on a topic like that. Hell, he expected her to be questioning him about his new mission. Was she tired?

"Something on your mind?" He asked as his eyes never once left the dark sky above them but he could feel that her eyes were on him.

"Are you angry at me?" He didn't expect that question. Why would he be angry at her? Well, they didn't really speak after their last night in Iwa so he could understand why she thought that he was angry at him but he was just trying to focus on getting them from Iwa safely to Suna.

"No." He truthfully answered her.

"Well then why are you avoiding me?" He didn't feel like he was avoiding her. Yes he probably should've paid more attention to her but even she should understand that he just wanted to focus on completing the mission.  
"Is it because I didn't want to tell you what Sasuke said or because I pulled rank on you or what because there are a number of reasons why you could be avoiding me?"

"I just wanted to focus on getting us here safely. I'm not going to lie, it hurt when you didn't want to tell me what Sasuke said but I'm not angry. Disappointed and hurt more like it." He didn't want to hide anything from her if there was any chance of their relationship thriving.

"I'm sorry that I hurt you. You know I never want to do that but I just can't tell you what Sasuke told me." Okay, that struck a nerve.

"It's good to know where I stand then."

"Come on Shikamaru, it's not like that. You know that there are just some stuff we can't discuss. You can't tell me why you and Temari broke up and this is no different." He immediately stopped walking and she quickly turned around to face as he finally lowered his gaze to land upon her soft face.

"Temari broke up with me because she saw me seducing a girl while I was on a mission in the Land of Tea. I needed to distract that girl long enough for the ANBU to search her home for information on her father. I explained it to Temari but she was too hurt. The distance between us didn't help either so she dumped me." There it was; his big secret. He still felt like an ass for the way their relationship ended and Temari always made him feel like the bad guy whenever they saw each other after that but he felt like he deserved it so he let it go.  
"Want to tell me what is happening between you and Sasuke?" She definitely looked nervous and he knew that she had 2 choices; continue protecting whatever Sasuke's message was and risk losing him or just tell him and hope that it wasn't a big deal.

"I'm sorry Shikamaru, I really can't tell you." She quickly grabbed his hands stood right in front of him. "I want to tell you so much but I can't and it's not your fault. This is my problem and it doesn't have to affect what we have."

"But it does Sakura. I'm an open book so whatever you want to know, I'll tell you but that goes both ways. If we want to continue this then there has to be open communication between us. It just seems like we have too much things that we're hiding from each other and no matter how much we try to ignore it, we somehow keep coming back to it so we either address it or this is where we end." He meant every word he said and he could see that Sakura understood it so now it was up to her to decide. Everything around them seemed to come to complete slcence as the seconds before she responded seemed to feel like they stretched on forever.

"I choose you Shikamaru but I can't tell you what Sasuke told me." He could see that she was close to tears. She really didn't want to lose him but he knew that he would never fully have her heart if she was still carrying secrets for Sasuke. That piece of shit was still affecting the village no matter what he did and Shikamaru was sick of it.

"I'm not competing with Sasuke for you anymore. It's clear that you will always choose him." He slipped his hands out of Sakura's and continued his journey alone. Whatever was left of his heart was clearly crushed now but he was okay with it. It was clear now that happiness just wasn't for everyone no matter how much he wanted it. Misery and anguish, that was the only certainty he was expecting out of life now since it clearly wasn't going any different.  
"Troublesome." He muttered but a tear slowly trickled its way down his cheek. His happiness destroyed just like the lone tear drop as it hit the sandy street. He really wished he was just a stupid fucking cloud now.

"Where were you guys so long?" Naruto complained as Shikamaru and Ino joined their team. He saw Genma's team waiting by the entrance to the village as well so they must've completed their joint mission already.

"We were helping Gaara." Ino answered him with more aggression than necessary.

"Mind if we tag along back to the village Shikamaru?" Genma casually asked him.

"Yeah." He didn't see a problem with that. It was actually better if they travelled in a larger group for safety purposes mainly.  
"Can I ask you to lead?" Shikamaru asked the older ninja. He had too much on his plate to think about right now so he definitely wasn't in the best position to be leading the mission. Hell, the information he just received this morning turned everything upside down once again and it was messing with his head.

"Everything okay?" He knew that Genma was just trying to look out for his safety. Genma and his father often worked together so Genma was like his older brother in a way.

"Yeah. Just a lot on my mind right now. Let's just say that it's best if I get to the village sooner rather than later."

"We'll get there tomorrow evening then. We will spend the night in Takumi."

"Okay." Shikamaru agreed. He knew that there was a possibility that Takumi might not willingly accept them since Konoha did refuse to aid them when they experienced difficulties in their village but hopefully this time of peace made them more accepting.

"Everyone, let's go!" Genma ordered them then took the lead and lead them out of the Wind Nation's stronghold. Shikamaru found himself towards the back of the pack with Lee right next to him. He turned to Shikamaru and flashed one of his famous smiles towards the lazy ninja. He just hoped that Lee didn't irritate him as much as he did while they hung out in the village.

They reached Takumi before the sun retired for the day. Thankfully there were no incidences that hindered their journey. Genma took Izumo and Kotetsu with him to find a place to sleep tonight and told everyone else to go get them something to eat before they met up again. As usual, an argument began which lead to a physical battle between Lee, Kiba and Naruto. Ultimately the girls ended up buying the meals before they met up with Genma, Izumo and Kotetsu.

"Hokage-sama." All of them greeted him the next evening as they stood in his office. They managed to make it back to Konoha without any hassle so now the only thing they needed to do was give their reports.

"Welcome back. I trust that your missions were successful." Kakashi's tone gave nothing away. It was as unemotional as it could be.

"Our mission was successful. We managed to apprehend all the desserters." Genma reported.

"We managed to take down the group responsible for destroying the villages as well." Shikamaru added.

"Very well. All of you are dismissed." They bowed before leaving but Shikamaru noticed that Naruto and Sakura stayed behind. They were probably going to tell Kakashi about what Sasuke told them. He closed the door behind him and walked across the hallway to his office.

"Shikamaru, joining us for a drink?" Genma asked him before he could enter his office.

"I have a meeting with the Kage to prepare for. Next time." Genma gave him an understanding nod before continuing with the rest of the group down the hallway. Shikamaru entered his office then closed the door behind him and immediately went to his desk to start working. He wrote down everything he found out and how it linked to each other before he forgot. Everything he wrote down seemed to confuse him more. All the events were so perfectlty random that it flowed right into each other. It was like it was a perfect coincidence.

"Since when do you work so much?" He went 2 days without thinking about her, 2 days without talking to her, 2 days shutting her out but in 2 seconds she was able to re-enter his life like nothing has changed. He looked up from his work and saw her approaching his desk.

"Do you need anything?" He was blunt and short. He didn't want to waste anytime and she proved to be one of the things that wasn't worth his time right now.

"Kakashi wants to see you." She informed him. He immediately stood up and rolled up the scroll he was writing on.  
"You know, I have a question for you." She told him then stood in his way so that he couldn't leave until she wanted him to.

"I don't have time for this now Sakura." He replied as he tried to move past her but she pushed him back.

"Who gave you the right to give ultimatums in this relationship?" She asked him as she folded her arms and stared him down. "You talk about relationships having open communication so I am openly communicating to you right now that you might be stubborn and irritating but you don't get to give up on us so easily. I will not give up on us either so you might be angry and disappointed at me right now but I am not going anywhere."

"We're not going to work."

"Stop deciding that for yourself."

"I'm not deciding that. You're the one still pining after Sasuke."

"Shut up about him already. This is about me and you. Don't be so insecure. Yes I loved Sasuke and yes I will have his back but I will not let you tell me who I want to be with because that is my choice and I choose you no matter what you think."

"You're irritating."

"You really don't know the half of it." She replied with a smile and a smile fought its way to his lips as well. She quickly went closer to him and stole a kiss before turning around and making her way to the door.  
"No matter how much times you're going to push me away, I'm just going to keep coming back Shikamaru so get used to it." She left him and he couldn't help but be stunned by what just happened. He was confused and surprised that Sakura was so bold. She definitely was something else.

"Troublesome." He muttered but a smile plagued his face even more. It was irritating him that she had the power to do this to him. He calmed himself then began making his way out of his office and into Kakshi's.  
"Kakashi-sama." He grabbed the Hokage's attention as he approached the cluttered desk. "You wanted to see me."

"Yes. Did Gaara speak to you about finding the people responsible for this trouble?" Kakashi stopped working and turned his attention to the young ninja.

"He did and I accepted the mission, not like I was going to be given any other choice." He noticed a small ripple in Kakashi's mask so he could tell that the Hokage was smiling.

"You have our full resources at your disposal."

"I'm going to need it because what I have so far is a lot of perfect coincidences but no leads." He handed the scroll to the hokage so that he could read what he had written down. He could see the grey haired hokage change his expression while reading the scroll but he undrstood exactly why.

"Orochimaru?" Kakashi had a questioning look on his face as he rolled up the scroll again.

"I don't think it's him but someone wants us to believe it's him. Any idea who would transform into Orochimaru and start a coup in Sunagakure?"

"No idea but now that Gaara knows they're after the Treasured Tools, he is bound to keep his tightly sealed."

"We need to alert the other Kage as well. If anyone can weild one of the tools then they're troublesome but if they get their hands on all 5 then they could be unstoppable especially considering who's trapped in the Benihisago right now."

"Agreed. I'll inform the Kage."

"Thank you Kakashi-sama." Shikamaru gave the Hokage a bow then took his scroll and exited the room. He went back to his office then sat down and continued his work and tried to find out who would want the Treasured Tools and more importantly why.  
He began by making a list of where the treasured tools were. The Kohaku no Johei has always been in Kumogakure and after the war they allowed Tenten to transport the Bashosen back here to Konohagakure where it was safely sealed and gaurded around the clock. The Benihisago was entrusted to Iwagakure where the Tsuchikage apparently buried it in a mountain while the Shichiseiken found itself being protected in Kirgakure. The final tool, the Kokinjo, was in Sunagakure where Gaara was no protecting it personally.  
He then studied the different abilities of each tool and tried to come up with counter measures just in case whoever was after them did manage to get one of the tools. One thing he was certain of though, whoever wanted them needed a hell of a lot of chakra to wield them because there was no way a normal ninja would be able to.

"Shikamaru, it's time to go home." Shizune's voice snapped him out of his concentration. He looked up and saw her standing by his door then he looked at the clock on his wall and saw that it was nearly midnight.  
"That was an order by the way. You also just came from a mission so you should take a day to rest." Shizune added as he stood up.

"Unfortunately the work that I'm doing right now is urgent so I don't have time to take a day off." He locked his door once they exited his room then then walked next to Shizune as they began making their way out of the building.  
"Is Kakashi at home already?"

"Yep. I put him in bed myself after I knocked him out." Shizune proudly answered him.

"I don't think you're supposed to harm the hokage no matter who you are."

"Well he deserved it for not listening to me." He had to let out a laugh at that while she smiled.

"How are you doing?"

"I'm fine I guess. Making sure that the village runs smoothly and keeping you and Kakashi from working to death is actually a fun job most of the time."

"Don't you miss going out on actual missions?"

"I never liked fighting. I only learnt how to fight so that I could survive. My real passion is helping people here in the village. I just want to be useful even if it just making sure that you and the hokage don't forget to look after yourselves. If I have to go out on a mission then I will but I won't go looking for one."

"I understand that. You're a great fighter though. Hell, I'd even be scared to face you in a fight."

"Flattery will get you no where Shikamaru, especially since Kakashi tried his best earlier on and still found himself being knocked out. Don't make me do the same to you." She politely warned him.

"Yes ma'am." They stopped by one of the apartment buildings in the heart of the village. This was clearly where Shizune was staying and it was rather perfect for here. It was close to the hospital, hokage tower, academy, intelligence unit; it was the perfect place for someone who basically made sure the village is run properly.

"This is my stop. Make sure that you go home and get some rest. If you're in your office before me tomorrow morning then I will lock you up myself."

"Yes ma'am." Shikamaru repeated as a smile appeared on her face. She unlocked the door then made her way inside the building leaving Shikamaru alone in the empty street. He decided to jump up to the roof so that he could get home easier and quicker. His journey home was as uneventful as he expcted until he spotted a swarm of insects in the distance. They looked like they were headed towards a destination or at least being controlled. Suddenly he saw the insects clumping together then immediately recognised the silhoutte of the shape, well person, it was forming; Shino.  
"Shino?" he asked and saw the figure turn towards him. The shine of his glasses in the moonlight confirmed that it was the Aburame and that the Aburame spotted him.  
Suddenly he saw that the houses in front of him weren't as big as the ones he was just jumping on. He should've known that since he had travelled this way for years but Shino's insects distracted him and he immediately found himself lose his footing then tumble off the roof and land painfully on the ground.

"Are you okay Shikamaru?" Shino's voice sounded drowned out and distant but he felt something under him. He opened his eyes then saw Shino standing over him but he could feel his body moving.

"Shino? What's happening?" He looked to his side then saw Shino's familiar insects under his arm.

"You fell. I'm taking you to the hospital." Shino's voice was as plain as normal.

"You were flying." He remembered seeing Shino in the night sky.

"I'll explain once we check you out. For now, just rest." Shino was being weirdly helpful and open for some reason but Shikamaru wasn't going to argue right now. The pain he was feeling was uncomfortable and all he wanted to do was sleep so he gratefully obliged.

 **THAT'S IT FOR THIS CHAPTER. I'LL TRY TO GET THE NEXT CHAPTER AS FAST AS POSSIBLE BUT HOPEFULLY IT WILL BE BETTER. I HOPE THIS CHAPTER DIDN'T CONFUSE YOU TOO MUCH AND I AM SORRY FOR THE WAIT AGAIN. YOU GUYS ARE STILL AWESOME SO UNTIL NEXT TIME, SEE YA.**


	17. Chapter 17

**HEY GUYS AND GIRLS. SORRY FOR THE WAIT AGAIN BUT IT WASN'T AS LONG AS THE LAST CHAPTER. HERE'S ANOTHER STUPID CHAPTER THOUGH SO HAVE FUN. THANKS TO EVERYONE THAT'S ACTUALLY SUPPORTING THIS STORY. I DIDN'T THINK I WOULD RECEIVE SUCH A LOT OF FEEDBACK SO THANKS.**

 **HAPPY READING:)**

"Are you sure that he just fell off the building?" That was definitely Sakura's voice. It sounded scared for some reason. He was just waking up so he didn't know what was really happening around him.

"Yes." Monotonous, unemotional, straightforward; Shino. He finally opened his eyes and was immediately attacked by the brightness in the room.

"Shikamaru, hey, are you okay?" Sakura appeared in his line of sight. From what he could tell, he was definitely lying on his back somewhere. It felt comfortable and soft so it was definitely a bed. He looked at Sakura and saw that she was in her hospital attire. Why was he in hospital?  
"... can you hear me?" He felt Sakura's hand on his cheek. Now it explained why she sounded scared. She was worried about him. It was comforting to know that she really did care about him and meant everything she said. He still didn't like the fact that she was keeping things from him but he was glad to see that she was putting in the effort.

"I can hear you." He gave her a quick smile and his body immediately registered the pain he was in, mostly his head and back.

"How are you feeling?" She immediately began examining him.

"No matter what I say, you're still not going to let me go home."

"Don't be a smart ass. Once I allow you out of here then I am going to beat you up and make sure you end up right back here."

"That's one way of making sure that you see me everyday." He had to smirk at that as she had a feint blush on her cheeks before she composed herself again.

"One of you better explain what the hell you guys were doing that made you end up in here so spill." Sakura ordered them. Shikamaru looked at Shino who turned to him with an expressionless face hidden by his attire mostly. He knew that Shino wasn't going to answer her so it was up to him it seemed.

"I lost my concentration and ended up misjudging a jump. I tripped and fell off a roof and Shino found me then brought me here it seems." That was actually the truth no matter how you looked at it but Sakura clearly wasn't buying it. She looked at both ninja but they weren't saying anything any more.

"If I find out that there was something else that happened then I will put both of you in here without a second thought." Sakura said then turned around and stormed out of the room.

"Are you okay?" Shino asked him after a couple of minutes of silence. He probably wanted to make sure that no one was around.

"Yeah. My head and back are paining but I've felt worse."

"Do you remember anything from last night?"

"I remember you flying then me falling and suddenly you were by me. Want to explain how you were flying and able to get to me so quickly when you were clearly kilometres away from me?"

"What you saw was a new technique I've been developing. It creates a solid clone out of myself using my insects. The clone will be able to perform ninjutsu and because it is made out of insects, taijutsu attacks are ineffective against it. And it can fly." That was the first time he heard Shino sound modest; hell, this was the first time in a long time he heard Shino with a different tone of voice.

"Where were you controlling your clone from then?"

"I was on the wall surrounding the village. I detected your chakra then saw you fall."

"You were still far away from me." Shikamaru pointed out.

"It took 3 minutes to reach you. I found you lying unconscious which is why it probably felt like it was a couple of seconds to you." That cleared everything up for him.

"Why were you practising this new ability in the middle of the night though?"

"People would think that it is creepy to see a clone of me flying around the village. I also want to keep this a secret until I perfect it." He understood that all too well. He didn't show his shadow stitching ability to his father until he had perfected it.

"How far are you?"

"I'm testing out how far I can control the clone and I am trying to connect my senses to the clone's. Right now I can only direct it to places I can see."

"Shouldn't a clone be able to do that though?"

"That only happens when you summon a clone. I am creating one out of my insects."

"That is a predicament that you find yourself in, Have you tried asking other members' of your clan for help?"

"No."

"Maybe you should. There's no shame in asking for help. Hell, there's honour in admitting that you're not strong enough to do something on your own." Suddenly Shizune appeared in the doorway with Shikamaru's mother and Kurenai standing behind her.

"I thought I told you to go home and get some rest and not end up in hospital." Shizune was definitely angry and by the looks on the other female's faces, she wasn't the only one.

"What happened?" His mother asked as she went over to his side.

"Nothing serious. I just fell off a roof on my way home last night." He hoped that would be sufficient for his mother but her expression didn't change.

"What happened Shino?" His mother turned to the Aburame sitting quietly on the chair against the wall. He felt sorry for the Aburame because he knew just how badly his mother could question someone if she wanted the truth.

"Leave Shino alone mom. He's the one that found me and brought me here." He saw Shino stand up and allow his former sensei to have a seat. Come to think of it, he hardly ever saw Kurenai and Shino having a conversation that lasted more than couple of minutes. Shino was an acquired taste you could say. He was one of the best shinobi's Shikamaru had ever seen but he didn't really have people skills. He preferred spending that time talking to insects rather.

"I'm not finished with you yet." His mother warned him.

"Excuse me." Shino said then disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

"You scared Shino off." Shikamaru told his mom.

"You don't get to talk. You go off on a mission to different villages fighting unknown enemies and when you finally come back to the village then you don't even come to greet us. Instead you go work and somehow end up falling off a roof and landing in hospital." His mom was clearly angry but he could tell that her anger stemmed from her love for him.

"I'm addressing the Kage and the Daimyo this coming weekend so I needed to prepare for that." He knew that he was just digging himself a deeper grave but he needed his mother to work through this anger. It was the only way she was going to calm down.

"I don't care if you're addressing god himself; you always make sure you come home no matter what." There it was, he could see that his mother was okay now.

"I'll always come home. It might take a few extra days and a couple of visits to this place before I see you but I will always come back home." He gave his mother a smile but she refused to have a smile of her own even though he knew she wanted to.

"Mrs Nara, Kurenai-sensei, Shizune-sama." Sakura greeted them with a bow before she proceeded any further.

"Sakura, how are you doing?" Kurenai asked the young doctor.

"I'm okay. How are you and your little girl?" Sakura and Kurenai clearly had a better relationship than Shino and Kurenai.

"I'm doing great but she's proving to be a bit... troublesome." Kurenai let out a small laugh at that as she turned to Shikamaru who couldn't help but smile at that.

"Seeing who her father entrusted her to, I wouldn't expect anything less." Sakura replied as she made her way to Shikamaru again.  
"Does it pain anywhere?" Sakura asked him.

"Only my head and back." Shikamaru truthfully answered her.

"Makes sense. How you didn't break a bone falling off a 3 storey building is a mystery to me though." Sakura gently lifted his head to examine it before setting it back down on the pillow.

"Shino did say that he found me unconscious." He pointed out.

"Where is that idiot? I still need to question him properly because I am not buying this story about you losing your concentration." Sakura stated then made him sit up much to his displeasure. "Concentration is your middle name so I know you're lying to me."

"I just came back from a 9 day mission and I went straight back to work. My concentration failing for a few moments isn't impossible you know." Sakura forced him back down on the bed and stared at him for a couple of moments.

"Isn't it a little hypocritical of you to be keeping the reason for you losing your concentration away from me?" Okay, she got him there. She was good when she was upset.

"Touché." He replied with a smile evoking a smile from her as well. "I can't tell you why I lost my concentration because it is not my secret to tell but if you can get it out of Shino then be my guest. I would actually want to see that."

"You're not leaving this bed today." Sakura informed him.

"He's supposed to be leaving for the Daimyo's Ball with Kakashi tomorrow though." Shizune told her.

"And I don't think that the Daimyo would appreciate me cancelling again. He might just have me thrown in jail." Shikamaru added.

"Good. At least there you'll be safe." His mother replied but he found it a bit amusing.

"Then I will go with them just so that I can make sure that he doesn't have delayed symptoms. A head is a very delicate part of the body to injure so he needs to be monitored." Sakura stated.

"Very well. I will inform Kakashi." With that, Shizune disappeared just like Shino had done.

"Have any of you ever spoke to the Daimyo before?" Shikamaru asked them hoping that the change of subject would relax them a bit. His mother certainly wouldn't relax until she heard Sakura's results of his whole body's examination.

"I met him after the war. He was strict and serious even when he was joking. You two should actually get along well then." Sakura smirked at the last part of that sentence. He could tell that she was challenging him but he didn't rising up to her challenge in front of his mother and Kurenai would be the best thing especially in the state he was in. He didn't feel like explaining his relationship with Sakura to the older female in the room.

"Sounds more like someone Kakashi would enjoy talking to." Shikamaru replied.

"Your father often dealt with the Daimyo so maybe he wants you to continue your father's role." Kurenai suggested. Why did everyone want him to be like his father? No matter how much he stated that he wanted to be different and that he is following his own path, everything was gradually pulling him to continuing his father's positions. It was irritating him to say the least.

"No thank you. I have enough on my plate as it is." Especially if everything went according to plan this weekend.

"You're just lazy." His mother gently hit his shoulder then turned her attention to the pink haired doctor as she lowered her clipboard.

"Well there is nothing wrong with him but I will be keeping him here for the day to monitor him. I would've recommended a couple of days of bed rest but that's not possible so when we come back from the Daimyo's ball then I am recommending that you be taken off active duty for at least a week. Knowing you, you would probably go to your office and overwork yourself so I will have Shizune monitor you there. Other than that, stay in bed today and don't do anything stupid." Sakura said stared him down as she spoke so he didn't bother putting up any sort of fight because he knew his mother and Kurenai would agree with Sakura anyway. Troublesome women.

"So stay in bed and do nothing, I don't I'm any good at that." He sarcastically replied but Sakura rolled her eyes at him in response.

"I have other patients to go see so I will check on you later. Goodbye Mrs Nara, Kurenai-sensei." Sakura gave them a bow again then walked out of the room.

"When are you marrying her?" Why did Kurenai stay on his case when it came to Sakura? Did she have a bet with someone that she needed to win?

"Sakura and I aren't like that. We're just close and my mom and the elders of the clan are supposed to arrange a marriage or something like that aren't they?" Shikamaru tried to steer the conversation to something else so this was a start.

"She's actually not a bad wife for you. She's an excellent doctor and shinobi, extremely knowledgeable and knows how to put you in your place. She's basically perfect for you. Maybe I should talk to her parents about a possible arranged marriage." Did his mother seriously just say that? What was wrong with the women in his life?

"Don't you dare mom."

"Why not? You guys get along..."

"So? That doesn't mean we want to get married to each other or are even on that level."

"When you guys are married then you can work towards that level."

"Tch... troublesome woman." Shikamaru looked up at the ceiling but heard Kurenai giggling so he turned his head to the side and saw his mother smiling as well.  
"Are you even supposed to be walking around Kurenai? Isn't your due date soon?" This was a more aggressive approach to a change of topic for him but he didn't have any other choice now.

"I'm pregnant, not disabled." Kurenai shot him an angered look before speaking again. "I'm due the week after next."

"Have you found a place for you and your daughter to live yet?"

"Are you kicking me out?" Why did Kurenai have to be so difficult?

"I was just trying to make sure that you don't have too much to do once your daughter is born. I don't want you to stress a lot." His answer certainly softened her expression.

"I haven't found the perfect place for us but Konohamaru offered to let us live in the Sarutobi Compound since he is hardly there anyway."

"That's a good idea. It will give your daughter the opportunity to learn more about her lineage. She is a descendant of Lord Third so the compound would fall to her sooner or later."

"I know. I still have time to think about it."

"Not a lot of time."

"Kurenai and her child can stay with us as long as she wants to Shikamaru and that's final." Yoshino firmly stated.

"Okay." Shikamaru replied, afraid to say anything else in fear of his mother coming down on him like a ton of bricks.

"Kurenai and I will let you get your rest. I will pack a bag for your trip so you can come fetch it tomorrow before you leave."

"I guess I will see you tomorrow then."

"Goodbye Shikamaru. Tell Sakura to prepare herself for marriage." Kurenai teased him as she stood up.

"Bye Kurenai-sensei, take it easy." Shikamaru said then watched them leave the room. He was all alone so he could finally get some peace and quiet but his mind kept drifting towards Sakura. He knew he wanted to be with her but he also knew what was keeping himself from fully committing himself to her but marriage, he never thought that far ahead. Hell, he only began thinking of Sakura as a romantic partner recently so he really shouldn't be rushing into anything. Damn Kurenai, why did she have to bring this up?

"I need a break." Sakura said as she entered his room. It was nearly 9 o'clock that evening and Shikamaru was peacefully lying on his hospital bed just looking up at the dead lights.

"Isn't your shift finished?" He asked her as she came over to his bed then gently pushed him to the side so that she could also have enough space to lie on the bed.

"Yes but I have some patients that are critical so I need to be here in case something goes wrong." He admired her work ethic and her commitment to making sure her patients got the best treatment they could possibly receive. It was alluring as well.

"Your apartment isn't far from the hospital so wouldn't you want to sleep in your own bed?" He asked her as she got under the blankets next to him.

"I would but my bed doesn't have you in it." She was flirting with him now. He knew that she was bold and fearless so he shouldn't have expected anything less.

"It does have softer pillows and a comfier mattress." He clearly wasn't in the flirting mood.

"You suck you know that." She turned on her side and faced him while he lazily turned his head to face her as well.

"What did I do wrong now?" He asked her.

"I was trying to flirt with you."

"So?"

"So you were supposed to do the same."

"If you want to flirt then you can do so. It's just a waste of energy to me. If you want someone then why do you have to flirt with them to get their attention?"

"True. All you have to do is..." She immediately moved closer to him and planted her soft lips on his. He didn't have the energy to fight her off right now and he actually found himself wanting more. He deepened the kiss and began exploring her mouth as she began doing the same. He didn't care about anything in that moment; the only thing that mattered was her.  
"So you're finally going to stop fighting me?" She looked him straight in his eyes as she asked him so that she could hear his answer. He knew that she wanted to know where she stood with him and honestly, he wanted to know the same.

"I'm not saying that I will stop fighting you but I just want to be happy and you make me happy you troublesome woman." He truthfully answered her. He didn't know if that was what she was waiting for or not but her smile was as genuine as ever.

"I'm your troublesome woman." Sakura stated then kissed him again. This time it was a deep and passionate kiss that drew them closer together. Her hands trailed up his bare torso until it reached his neck while his hands wrapped around her body, bringing her on top of him without breaking their romantic act.

"Doctor Haruno; Mr Amano needs you." A nurse announced as she opened the door. She didn't seem surprised or shocked at the scene of the young shinobi making out on the bed. Did doctors do that a lot in the hospitals? Did Sakura do that a lot?

"We'll continue this later." Sakura said then gave him a quick kiss before standing up then racing out of the room. Both females disappeared from his room and Shikamaru was left alone again. He didn't mind it but his body craved the feeling of Sakura against him now. The warmth her body provided was all he needed to survive the coldest winters. He wanted her no matter what happened between them.  
He slowly fell asleep but he felt Sakura get back under the blankets that night so I gently wrapped his arms around her as he felt her kiss his cheek. They began falling asleep again but then he felt Sakura's body tense up. It was the same like before and he could tell that it wasn't natural. Something was causing it and he wanted to know what.

"Hey, go back to sleep. I just have to go check on something quickly." Sakura said as she got out of the bed again.

"Are you okay Sakura?" He quietly asked her.

"Yes. I will be back soon." With that, she left the room again. At least this time when she tensed up and ran away, she didn't use Naruto as an excuse. She just gave a vague one. Something was definitely up with Sakura and he wanted to know what it was but he knew if he questioned her about it then it would lead to a fight and would ultimately end the stage in their relationship that they found themselves in.

"Troublesome." He muttered to himself before deciding to close his eyes again and fall asleep.

 **OKAY, SOMEONE PLEASE NEEDS TO EXPLAIN WHAT THE ACTUAL F*** IS UP WITH SHIKAMARU AND SAKURA. ARE THEY TOGETHER? ARE THEY IN LOVE? LIKE WHAT THE F***? WHO HAS A RELATIONSHIP LIKE THIS? IT'S LIKE THEY CAN'T BE WITHOUT EACH OTHER YET THERE ARE ALWAYS THINGS THAT ARE FORCING THEM APART. IT'S LIKE THERE'S SOMEONE DRAWING THEM CLOSER TO EACH OTHER THEN DROPPING AN EPIC BOMB ON THEIR RELATIONSHIP AND FORCING THEM APART JUST SO THAT THEY CAN BE BROUGHT BACK TOGETHER AGAIN; OH WAIT, THAT'S ME. I HATE ME. I'M JUST ANOTHER STUPID GUY SO UNTIL NEXT TIME, SEE YA.**


	18. Chapter 18

**HEY GUYS AND GIRLS. I GUESS I HAVE RETURNED WITH ANOTHER STUPID CHAPTER. THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS AND LIKES AND ALL THE POSITIVITY AROUND THIS STORY. FOR SOME REASON YOU GUYS LIKE IT BUT WHO AM I TO JUDGE WHEN I AM JUST ANOTHER STUPID GUY. SORRY FOR ALL THE MISTAKES. I KNOW THAT I REALLY NEED TO PROOF READ THESE CHAPTERS BEFORE I POST THEM BUT I JUST GET SO EXCITED THAT I ACTUALLY FINISHED A CHAPTER SO I WANT TO POST IT IMMEDIATELY.**

 **HAPPY READING:)**

"Be still." Sakura ordered the lazy ninja.

"I'm fine Sakura. You don't have to do this." Shikamaru responded as he tried to get up off the bench but she firmly pushed him back down again.

"Kakashi literally ordered this a few minutes ago and the quicker we get this over and done with, the quicker we can get to the ball and begin having some much needed fun."

"You might've come here to have fun but I came here to meet the Daimyo and address the Kage so I could much rather be using this time to get ready."

"Well then the quicker you let me do my job, the quicker I can let you get back to doing yours so just sit still and look pretty." Sakura was really starting to get on his nerves now. He could understand her being overprotective on their journey here but now they were safe and there was literally no more need for her to be irritating him anymore. He had enough problems to deal with here.  
"What are you thinking about?" Sakura's voice was comforting and understanding as she spoke now. He could tell that she was focused on making sure that he was okay to continue but she didn't pay any less attention to how his mental health was doing.

"Just trying to get myself ready for tonight." That wasn't entirely a lie. He has been trying to psyche himself up all day as they made their way from Konohagakure but nothing seemed to be working. He knew what he had to do and how to do it but he still felt nervous.

"You're going to be perfect." He appreciated her encouragement but it did nothing to sway his nervousness.

"I need something to drink." Maybe alcohol was what he needed to get his confidence back.

"No drinking. You're taking medication so absolutely no alcohol." He had a feeling that Sakura was going to be on his case tonight and following him around, making sure that he didn't get into any trouble or that he didn't drink anything. It's not that he didn't want her around, he wanted the opposite in fact, but he didn't want her around because she was doing her job. He wanted her around because she wanted to be with him.

"Fine. Can I get something to take the edge off at least?" He had to stop himself from laughing as she eyed him. He wasn't serious about asking her for some medication that would make him high but he wanted to catch her off guard and it looked like it worked.

"Get a life." She replied then stepped away from him. "You're fine as far as I can tell."

"Told you so." He smartly replied as he stood up in front of her. He was glad that he was taller than her so that he could at least flaunt that in front of her even though he knew that she could pummel him and leave him lying helpless on the ground without breaking a sweat.

"You're lucky that I can't beat the crap out of you right now." She stepped right up against him as she drove her finger into his chest. She stared up at him as their eyes locked in a heated battle.

"Like you could ever defeat me." He uncharacteristically challenged her. He knew that she wouldn't back down but he wanted to see what her response would be.

"Looks like you're still a little delirious." She smirked but quickly moved her head closer to his and gave him a kiss.  
"Get dressed. I'm going to get dressed in Hinata's room so give me a couple of minutes and we can go to the ball together."

"If you're going to take too long then I am going to leave without you." He warned her as he gently touched her arm.

"No you won't." She cheekily replied but gave him a smile before she turned around and left the room.

"Troublesome woman." He muttered once she was out of the room. He couldn't help but smile like an idiot. Sakura managed to get him to reveal a side of him that he would normally never show anyone. He was pretty sure that he never even showed Ino or Choji this side of him.  
He looked at the suit that was neatly laid out on his bed and sighed. He hated wearing suits because it usually meant that he would be doing something that he never wanted to do in the first place. He knew that what he was doing would probably save a lot of lives and bring stability to the shinobi realm but that didn't mean that he had to like it. He began putting on the suit and he had to admit, his mother and Kurenai definitely knew how to dress him in a suit.

"Hey Shikamaru." Naruto's joyful voice broke into the room. He turned around and saw the blonde ninja come into his room then plant himself down on his bed. Naruto looked just as weird in a suit as Shikamaru probably did. Maybe it wasn't that they looked weird but rather that it wasn't normal for them to be wearing a suit.

"Naruto." Shikamaru's greeting was less enthusiastic as Naruto's but that has come to be expected.

"I heard you're doing some sort of big presentation to the Kage today." If this was enough to make Naruto interested then it really was a big deal.

"Apparently I'm meeting the Daimyo first." He finished making his tie in the mirror and it immediately reminded him of someone, well 2 people actually; Shikaku and Asuma. He remembered the first time he decided to make his tie on his own and actually smiled at the memory.

"Why are you smiling like that Shikamaru?" Naruto asked as he saw Shikamaru's reflection in the mirror.

"I was just remembering something." He didn't want to tell Naruto about the memory because he knew that Naruto has suffered even more loss than he has. He didn't want to stir up any bad memories as well.

"About a tie?" He could hear Naruto trying to hold back a laugh but he couldn't blame his simple friend. He probably would've done the same anyway.

"Yep. Just remembering the day my father and Asuma tried to teach how to make a tie." He explained but he could see Naruto's expression soften at that.

"I get that too sometimes. I remember how pervy sage taught me how to pour wine then got so drunk trying to show me how to do it that he ended up passing out while dancing with a couple of women." It was Naruto's time to smile like an idiot now. Both ninja had more in common than they thought.  
"I was so angry at him at that time that I left him in that club and made my way back to the hotel and locked him out. I found him standing outside the room the next day with a huge grin on his face and ready to get started on that days training. I was still angry at him but that was his own unique way of training me I suppose."

"My father and Asuma were the same there I suppose. I was lazy and stubborn so they had to use different ways of trying to get me to do things. They tricked me into going to a ball like this by saying that only men were invited to these kind of things and they wanted to tear my invitation up because they knew that I didn't like wearing suits or going out. For the weeks leading up to the ball they kept telling me how manly I wasn't going to be if I stayed at home. It worked and on the day of the ball I decided to dress myself. My mom offered to help me but I told her that I am a man and I can dress myself. Everything was going perfectly until it came to the tie." Suddenly the two ninja let out a laugh. They actually felt comfortable speaking to each other like this. They weren't exactly close friends but their belief and trust in each other was unbreakable. They shared an unexplainable bond with each other. Hell, Shikamaru and Choji were Naruto's only friends before they entered the academy so it was only natural that they were so close.

"What are you guys laughing about?" Both ninja's attention immediately turned to the doorway where their partners were standing in their elegant dresses. Shikamaru was instantly blown away when his eyes fell upon Sakura's magnificent body that was encased in a form-fitting strapless sparkling red dress. It was like he was staring at someone he hasn't seen before. He knew exactly how beautiful Sakura was but her beauty definitely transformed in front of his eyes right now. His eyes finally caught Sakura's and she immediately blushed as she saw how dumbfounded he looked.

"Wow, Hinata you look beautiful." Naruto clearly wasn't at a loss for words like Shikamaru was. Hinata wore the exact same dress as Sakura but hers looked like a dark blue that nearly matched the colour of her hair. Saying that both kunoichi looked dropped dead gorgeous would be an insult.

"Th-Thank you Naruto-kun." Hinata's blush was even more evident as Naruto awkwardly stood up.

"So what were you guys laughing about?" Sakura regained her composure and so did Shikamaru but he was still captivated by Sakura's appearance.

"We were just talking about Asuma, pervy sage and Shikamaru's father." Naruto explained but the girls immediately had sympathetic expressions on their faces. He knew that things would get awkward now and he didn't want that so he decided that it was time they made their way to where everyone else was.

"Are you girls ready to go?" Shikamaru asked them.

"Yes." Naruto quickly made his way to Hinata's side then hooked his arm around hers. Shikamaru followed behind Naruto and offered his arm to Sakura who in turn hooked her arm around his. He was glad to see that she wasn't putting up a fight or being difficult right now. He was actually having fun and he wanted it to stay that way as much as possible before he met the Daimyo and Kage.

"So Shikamaru, what happened when you tried to put on your tie?" Naruto asked as the four shinobi walked side by side up the paved walkway outside the house they were sharing. The Kage each had their own rooms in the hotel closest to the ball but the ninja and everyone else who accompanied them had to stay in the houses close to the edge of town. Shikamaru didn't mind one bit since it was closer to the forest where he could just lie around and do nothing for a few hours. They were expected to leave tomorrow afternoon but that meant that he still had tomorrow morning where he could lay around and do nothing. He was looking forward to that.

"My mother probably went to go tell my father and Asuma who were waiting for me downstairs because a minute later they were standing in my doorway. They offered to help me but I was stubborn and I wanted to prove to them that I was a man. They began insulting me but I knew that they were just trying to get me to admit that I needed help. I was getting more angry at myself for not being able to figure out how to tie a stupid tie and they could see that. Eventually they stopped and decided to show me how they did their ties. They said that no one was going anywhere if I couldn't do my tie exactly like they were. I could see what they did though. They drove me to the point where I broke down and was at my most vulnerable and then they helped me. I guess they knew that I wasn't going to learn the lesson they were trying to teach me if I wasn't willing to accept that I needed help." Sakura immediately moved closer to him as she stared at him. He was actually glad that she was there right now.  
"Needless to say, my mother was so angry at the 3 of us that she nearly kicked us out of the house." That got them laughing and lightened the mood as they made their way to their destination.

"Our teachers were the worst." Naruto stated.

"I can't deny that." Shikamaru agreed as the four of them laughed again.

"Remember the 'bell' test that Kakashi made us do Naruto?" Sakura asked him.

"Yeah." Naruto answered her but was definitely less enthusiastic than usual. Everyone knew how that test ended for Naruto. He was the only one that didn't get a bell and was tied to the wooden post in the field and couldn't eat.

"Kakashi was the worst teacher. He made us do the stupidest things." Shikamaru found himself being glad that he didn't have Kakashi as a sensei and actually happy that Asuma was his sensei now.

"And he hardly helped us." Naruto agreed with Sakura.

"You guys didn't turn out too bad though, right Hinata?" Everyone turned their attention to the shy Hyuga as Shikamaru asked.

"Y-Yeah." Hinata agreed.

"Asuma wasn't as bad as Kakashi was but Ino was the worst teammate ever. At times it was like she was the sensei instead of Asuma. She would boss all of us around all the time." Shikamaru stated.

"She's still like that." Sakura pointed out causing them to laugh again.

"Kiba was like that." Hinata softly added. They became quieter and allowed her to speak now since this was a rare occassion. Hinata hardly ever spoke up voluntarily if they weren't on a mission.  
"He and Shino always ended up arguing then fighting each other. One day Kurenai decided to let them fight then took me to go have lunch."

"Speaking about our little bug friend, apparently he and Shikamaru have a secret." Why did Sakura have to bring that up now?

"Shikamaru and Shino? Are you guys a couple?" Naruto quickly asked. If Shikamaru didn't know Naruto then he would've been offended but he found it amusing. He knew that Naruto often said the first thing that came to his mind and hardly ever thought before he spoke.

"Not like that idiot." Sakura replied. He was sure that if they were next to each other right now then she would've sent Naruto flying into the forest.  
"Shino brought Shikamaru to the hospital the night we came from our mission after Shikamaru apparently lost his concentration and fell off one of the buildings."

"Shikamaru lost his concentration?" Naruto asked. Even Hinata stared at him like she couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"I am human." Shikamaru defended himself but he knew none of them believed that he lost his concentration no matter how truthful it was.

"I will get it out of you Shikamaru, you can count on that." Sakura stated as they approached the elegant residence of the Daimyo. He knew that the Daimyo are the single most important people in each nation and knew that they basically lived in palaces like gods but even he was taken aback when he stood outside the residence.

"This place is freaking huge." Naruto said as they made their way past the gates guarded by two ninja. Shikamaru noted that the guards didn't stop the group so they clearly knew who they were unless they were just there for the sake of being there.

"It's beautiful though." Sakura commented. The group walked up the pathway that had neatly trimmed tall bushes on each side of the path leading up to the enthralling entrance to the building. They went up to the doors but it opened automatically as if they were expecting them.

"Welcome to the Daimyo's residence." A servant said as she gave the young ninja a bow. The four of them hardly noticed the servant bowing to them as they took in the sight before them. The place was beautiful and gold. There was so much gold in the room that if they probably sold the place then they would have enough money to retire for 10 lifetimes.  
"Please follow me." They mindlessly walked behind the woman as they tried not to be enchanted by the wealth of the house.

"I don't think I am going to leave this place." Naruto was clearly lost and by the looks of it, so were the rest of them. They didn't even bother mapping out the route they were walking. None of their shinobi training seemed to kick in. They just marvelled at the palace they were in.

"Enjoy the ball." The servant gave them another bow and they finally took in their surroundings. They were in a huge hall that was filled with familiar ninja. Most of them he recognised from the war. At least this room wasn't as marvellous as the others that they walked through but it was definitely beautiful. He saw the tables filled with food against one wall while there was another table filled with drinks against another wall. There were servants helping the guests getting their drinks and food by each table and some of them clearly needed the help. They were clearly having a ball just drinking the alcohol.

"Took you guys long enough." Izumo and Kotetsu appeared in front of the group wearing matching navy blue suits.

"Wow, you guys make the perfect couples." Everyone knew about Naruto and Hinata being a couple but everyone expected it so it wasn't anything new but Shikamaru and Sakura being a couple was out of the blue but so far no one showed any opposition to it. They were just surprised but surprisingly accepted it even if they didn't classify their 'relationship' yet. That was one of the things he wanted to talk about with her as well as her constant tensing.

"So do you guys." Shikamaru shot back.

"Whatever. Our Daimyo is looking for you so you need to go find him while Kakashi gathers all the other Kage so that you can address them." Izumo informed the lazy ninja.

"Such a drag." He sighed then unwillingly unhooked his arm from Sakura. "I will find you guys later."

"You got this Shikamaru." Sakura reassured him. Hopefully she was right. He made his way into the crowd and greeted a few people he knew as he tried to find the Fire Nation's Daimyo. He knew that the Daimyo would be protected so he was trying to find a crowd of people with a lot men surrounding them and looked like they were protecting someone.

"Shikamaru Nara." He heard someone call his name. He didn't recognise the voice so he turned around and immediately saw the Daimyo he was looking for. He had 4 bodyguards around him and was accompanied by 3 other males. They were probably his advisors or something.

"Daimyo-sama." Shikamaru gave the man a deep bow but the older man had a disapproving expression on his face for some reason.

"All you need is a scar on your face and a goatee then you'd be the spitting image of your father." The Daimyo was clearly going to lead this conversation so Shikamaru decided to let him do so. Going against the Daimyo's wishes was probably going to be seen as treason so it was best for him to just go with the flow.

"No matter how much I look like my father, I would never be able to live up to his legacy." Downplaying himself, maybe the Daimyo wouldn't want anything to do with him if he shows how inferior he is to his father.

"You're the son of one of the most intelligent people this world has ever seen and the student of an hokage's son. Don't degrade yourself Shikamaru." There goes that plan.

"With all due respect, I cannot take the credit for my father and teacher's reputation."

"Let's look at your reputation then. The first and only genin of your class to pass the chunnin exams on his first try. You defeated the Fourth Kazekage's daughter to do it. You orchestrated the death of not 1 but 2 Akatsuki members at the same time and managed to take down one of those Akatsuki member's yourself. You were the proxy Commander of the Fourth Division of the Allied Shinobi Forces and you helped take down Kinkaku. Your quick thinking and plans helped stop the Ten-Tails and you managed to teach the entire Allied Shinobi Forces a jutsu in the heat of battle. Like I said, don't degrade yourself Shikamaru." Despite the Daimyo's non-threatening attire and demeanor, he was quite sharp and definitely cunning. Shikamaru didn't know what to do now. The Daimyo clearly had this whole situation planned out and Shikamaru was just a pawn waiting to be moved.  
"You're aware that your father's role as the Jounin Commander is yet to be fulfilled by a suitable canditate and that the Jounin Commander also joins my council?"

"I am aware of that." Damn, looks like the Daimyo is going to appoint him as the new Jounin Commander.

"I'm also aware that you declined a promotion to Jounin that was bestowed upon you after the war. I cannot begin to understand what you went through after the war and I am sorry to hear about your father but the world continues to move forward and so must we. You've become the head of the Nara Clan and the Hokage's Advisor right?"

"I have." Shikamaru was calm and collected on the outside but inside his brain was a mess. Where was the Daimyo going with this? Is he promoting him to Jounin so that he could become the Jounin Commander? Is he planning on keeping Shikamaru here to be his advisor? What was he planning?

"Very well. I request that you take over your father's seat on my council as well. You do not have to become the Jounin Commander but your father believed that it was your time to lead and he was seldom wrong. I look forward to hearing your opinions since your father didn't mind expressing his even if it was just to spite me."

"Yes Daimyo-sama." Shikamaru instinctively bowed but one thought kept running through his mind; What the fuck just happened?

"And stop with all this bowing. You're the head of your clan for God's sake."

"Can I request one thing from you then?" The Daimyo raised his eyebrow which immediately made Shikamaru regret asking the question but there was no turning back now.

"Go on."

"With all due respect, I am not my father and I refuse to walk in his shoes. I am making my own path so I would appreciate it if you would stop comparing me to my father." A bold move for the young shinobi but his father once told him that sometimes you had to force respect.

"You certainly seem to have his fire." The Daimyo quipped as the people around him had a bit of a chuckle.  
"Very well Shikamaru, I look forward to working with you."

"I look forward to working with you as well." Shikamaru replied.

"Enjoy the rest of the ball. Don't go starting a war anytime soon again, that's my job." That last comment had to mean that the Daimyo knew about what happened on his mission. Shikamaru had to admit it, the Daimyo was good but Shikamaru loved a challenge and he was definitely not going to back down from this one. He made a mental note to himself to learn all he can about the Daimyo. If he was going to be working with him then he wanted to know exactly the kind of person he was.

"Shikamaru." Genma snapped him out of his thoughts and back to reality. Genma was dressed in a similar black and white suit like Shikamaru's but he looked more comfortable in it.  
"The Kage are waiting for you." Great, from one meeting to another. Are balls not supposed to be fun?

"Are any of them in a good mood?" Shikamaru asked as he tried to calm himself and mentally prepare for what he was about to say. He followed Genma through the sea of people but it became clear that the Kage weren't in the ballroom anymore and were probably waiting somewhere else.

"The Raikage and Tsuchikage have been drinking so they're a little irritated that their drinking has been interrupted by this meeting. The Mizukage doesn't seem to mind being in the company of some of the best male shinobi across the lands. The Kazekage and Hokage are given nothing away though." Trust Genma to give such a thorough answer but he needed it right now. Every piece of information he could get right now was valuable. They finally exited the room and Genma led him across a marble hallway to a gold door. Genma opened the door then revealed the 5 Kage sitting around a glass table. Each Kage had a couple of their trusted shinobi and advisors around them but that was to be expected. The Kage were just as important as the Daimyo so they needed protection and guidance as well.  
The Tsuchikage had his grandaughter, Kurotsuchi, and his loyal partner Akatsuchi. The Raikage was accompanied by Darui and Samui surprisingly. The Mizukage was joined by Ao and Chojuro but that was to be expected. Gaara was unsurprisingly joined by his siblings Kankuro and Temari. Kakashi was joined by Genma but he saw that Sakura, Naruto and Hinata were standing against the wall. He didn't know that the 3 of them would be attending the meeting as well but he was glad that Sakura was there. She gave him a smile when their eyes met and his nervousness instantly seemed to fade away.

"Took you long enough Shikamaru. You can't request all of us to be here and you come late." The Raikage clearly had something to drink but this wasn't all that far from his usual loud and commanding presence.

"My apologies Raikage-sama. The Fire Nation's Daimyo had important matters to discuss with me." Shikamaru gave the lightning nation's Kage a bow before making his way to the head of the table.

"Relax A, I am sure that the ball is not going to run away. Let's just listen to what this handsome young man has to say." Shikamaru saw firsthand just how powerful the Mizukage was during the war so he knew that despite her alluring features and words that she was extremely witty and dangerous.

"Shut up you old hag. We came here to party and not be stuck here in another meeting. We might as well have just stayed in our own nations then." The Tsutchikage was definitely drunk. I guess his old age came with a lower tolerance for alcohol.

"Who are you calling old, grandpa?" Wow, are these really the most feared shinobi in their respective lands? They were really just very old children.

"Silence everyone!" Gaara's voice was ominous and threatening. Hell, Shikamaru was scared more than usual of the Kazekage right now. He gave Shikamaru an approving nod to indicate that he may begin. Shikamaru took in a deep breath to calm himself before he spoke because this seemed like it was going to be one troublesome meeting.

"4 weeks ago a village in the Wind Nation was attacked and destroyed by a rogue group of criminals. 2 weeks ago that same group of criminals attacked and nearly destroyed a village in the Fire Nation. Less than a week ago I led a group of ninja to stop the group before they could attack and destroy Taniku, a village in the Earth Nation." Shikamaru informed them.

"So what? You want a promotion?" The Raikage interrupted. Shikamaru would've felt offended by that if he wasn't already worthy of a promotion. Shikamaru just brushed it off and continued.

"At the same time as the first attack in the Wind Nation, an unknown shinobi transformed himself into Orochimaru and orchestrated a coup in the Wind Nation. The Kazekage successfully stopped the coup but a group of 5 ninja abandoned the village and went rogue. Genma-san led a team that assisted the Suna-nin in stopping that group of rogue ninja but they had split up and 2 of the ninja were stopped by my team when we stopped the rogue group of criminals. I later found out that the group of rogue criminals were being controlled by the 2 rogue ninja but they were also following orders given to them by the ninja who had transformed himself into Orochimaru."

"How do you know that it wasn't Orochimaru?" The Mizukage was clearly thinking and following Shikamaru's train of thought.

"Not to overestimate Orochimaru but if he wants to take over Sunagakure, he wouldn't need to start a coup. He killed the previous Kazekage then transformed into the Kazekage and combined the Wind Nation and the Sound Nation's forces to lead an attack on Konohagakure during a chunin exams. I don't think it was Orochimaru who started that coup in Sunagakure but someone wants us to believe it was him." Shikamaru explained as he remembered his chunin exams.

"Kabuto then? Who else could imitate Orochimaru better than Kabuto?" The Tsutchikage had a point there. Shikamaru didn't think about Kabuto but he certainly was now.

"Sasuke." The Mizukage answered and Shikamaru immediately turned to Sakura but he saw her look at Naruto with a worried expression. Now he really needed to know what Sasuke had told them.

"Mizukage-san, Sasuke helped my team stop the 2 rogue ninja before they could do anything. I don't think he would start a coup then help us take down the group responsible for it." Shikamaru didn't want to defend Sasuke and he hated every moment of doing so but Sasuke was innocent in this.

"I was informed earlier that Sasuke attacked Kirigakure, killed 5 shinobi then stole the Shichiseiken last night." Maybe Sasuke wasn't as innocent as he thought. What the fuck was going on?

"I knew it. That Uchiha brat is and always will be a criminal." He understood the Raikage's rage and anger towards Sasuke. Sasuke's group attacked Kumogakure to get to the Eight-Tails jinchuriki, Killer B. Sasuke then ended up slicing off the Raikage's arm during the Kage Summit in the Land of Iron.

"Sasuke is not criminal. He helped us take down Madara and Kaguya during the war." Naruto voiced his opinion. Naruto was always going to defend Sasuke no matter what so that was to be expected. Another thing that Shikamaru expected was for an argument to begin and so it did. He wasn't going to get involved in the argument so he decided to close his eyes and think about the information he just recieved from the Mizukage. He blocked everything out and just let his mind take over. He needed to try and figure out what Sasuke was up to before they made a rash decision and ended up putting a bounty on the Uchiha's head again.

"Nara, open your damn eyes! We need answers." The Raikage ordered him. He heard that the arguments had stopped and that everyone was probably waiting on him now. He opened his eyes and sure enough, everyone's attention was fixed on him.

"The objective of the person who transformed into Orochimaru and started the coup in Sunagakure was to try and steal the Kokinjo. I can all but assure you that Sasuke was not part of that event but if what the Mizukage said is true then Sasuke is a criminal right now." Shikamaru stated.

"I'm going to bring that brat in myself if it's the last thing I do." The Raikage quickly stood up and straightened his clothes.

"Raikage-sama, if you could please wait for a moment, I think I have a solution that could help solve this problem." Shikamaru wasn't sure that the Raikage would stay but at least he tried.

"Raikage-sama, you saw firsthand just how intelligent Shikaku was during the war. Shikamaru is just as intelligent so if he says that he has a way to help us then it's best to listen to him instead of storming off and wasting your own time." Damn, Kakashi was silent all this time so for his first words to be as powerful as that was kind of intimidating to both Shikamaru and the Raikage. The Raikage didn't look like he appreciated Kakashi's words but he took his seat again then glared at the young Nara who kept his composure even though he was freaking out on the inside.

"After the last meeting where all the Kage sat down together like this, the Allied Shinobi Force was created. The objective of that group was to stop the Akatsuki and win the war. When the war ended then so did the Allied Shinobi Force. The peace that created is slowly dying out again leading to senseless fighting. The group of rogue criminals had people who came from every village. Right now there is an enemy out there who is gathering criminals and shinobi alike in order to steal the Treasured Tools of the Sage of Six Paths. We don't know what they want to do with it and right now one is already missing. My solution is that we form another group where we can combine our forces and work together. This doesn't affect just 1 nation but it affects all the nations. If the Allied Shinobi Forces created this peace then we need to come together and maintain it. We need to form a Shinobi Union." Even Shikamaru had to admit, his speech right there had him feeling enthusiastic about his suggestion.

"So you're just copying what we did during the war?" The Raikage asked him. Why did he have to be so stubborn? Couldn't he just agree or disagree then leave it at that?

"Sunagakure was attacked and nearly had their treasured tool stolen. We managed to stop our treasured to from being stolen and we stopped the rogue ninjas from going after the treasured tool in Iwagakure. Last night Kirigakure was attacked and had their treasured tool stolen. Kumogakure is the only village right now that hasn't been attacked so guess who their next target will be."

"He's right boss. They're bound to come after us next." Darui stated. At least someone was sensible in the Lightning Nation.

"I agree with Shikamaru." Gaara spoke up. He gave the Kazekage a nod of approval.

"Me too." The Mizukage said but she looked focused and determined.

"I do too." This was surprising, he didn't expect the Tsutchikage to agree with him so easily. Everyone turned their attention to the Raikage to hear what he had to say about this.

"We'll go with your plan then. Let's create this Shinobi Union." The Raikage reluctantly agreed.

"How would this Shinobi Union work?" Gaara asked and everyone's attention turned back to Shikamaru.

"Right now, because we have to act fast, I would like to be the temporary leader of the Shinobi Union and I would like all the ninja in this room to be the representatives of each village. Our first objective would be to find Sasuke and retrieve the Kokinjo that he stole and to bring him in for questioning." Shikamaru explained. "Are there any objections to that?"

"If he resists, can we kill him?" Samui asked. She was definitely like her Kage but at least she looked in control of her emotions.

"Killing him should be a last resort. Securing the Kokinjo is more important." He answered her.  
"Once we get back to our respective villages, all the Kage need to make sure that the rest of the treasured tools are safely guarded. There's still a possibility that the villages will be attacked again. We need to communicate as much as possible with each other so if anyone finds Sasuke then they should inform everyone else so that we can assist in bringing him in. We all know how powerful he is."

"We can easily take him down." The Raikage stated.

"One of our other objectives should be to find Orochimaru and Kabuto and bring them in as well. There is a reason why someone transformed into Orochimaru to start the coup so we need to know why." Shikamaru explained.

"Orochimaru was last spotted in the Land of Sound." The Tsutchikage informed them. No surprises there.

"Kabuto's whereabouts after the war is unknown." The Mizukage stated.

"We each have our objectives so I have nothing more say. Once our villages are protected and the treasured tools are more secure then we can reconvene to appoint the permanent members of the Shinobi Union." Shikamaru was relieved that this was finally finished. All he wanted to do now was to just find a comfortable place to lay and fall asleep. He did way too much work today.

"I'm impressed Shikamaru. I'm sure that your father would be proud." The Mizukage told him with a smile. She wasn't trying to be flirty or threatening; she was just saying what she honestly thought.

"Thank you Mizukage-sama." Shikamaru gave her a slight bow as he saw everyone standing up and begin talking to each other.

"Looks like you have more work to do now Shikamaru." Kakashi told him.

"We need to keep the peace so it's worth it." Shikamaru turned to where Naruto, Sakura and Hinata were standing but he didn't see Naruto and Sakura anymore. They must've left the room already so he made his way towards Hinata.  
"Where's Naruto and Sakura?" Shikamaru asked the shy kunoichi.

"Sakura said that they would meet us back inside the ball again." He could tell that Hinata was saddened by that and he was too. He wanted to speak to Sakura as well.

"They'll be back soon. I guess we get to hangout in the meantime." He tried to sound optimistic but he was sure that Hinata could see right through it. He and Hinata were friends and she did agree to help him improve his taijutsu so it wasn't like things were going to be awkward between them if they hung out. He didn't think that Naruto and Sakura would be away for long anyway.

 **OKAY, I HAVE TO TELL YOU GUYS THIS BECAUSE I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT. I WAS READING THE PREVIOUS CHAPTERS AND THE SAKURA I PORTRAYED IN THIS STORY IS ALMOST EXACTLY THE WAY MY BEST FRIEND ACTS. SHE'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST SAKURA FANS I KNOW AND SHE WRITES FANFIC AS WELL. SOME OF YOU MIGHT HAVE READ HER STORIES AND IF YOU HAVEN'T THEN YOU REALLY SHOULD. HER USERNAME IS** **NaRcIsSiStIcAlLy In LoVe** **SO YOU SHOULD GO CHECK HER STORIES OUT. IT'S AMAZING BUT SHE TAKES SO LONG TO UPDATE NO MATTER HOW MUCH I BUG HER ABOUT IT. MAYBE SHE DOES IT TO ME ON PURPOSE TO PUNISH ME BEING JUST ANOTHER STUPID GUY IN HER LIFE BUT WE CAN'T REALLY CHANGE WHO WE ARE. ANYWAY, I WILL BE BACK WITH ANOTHER CHAPTER HOPEFULLY SOON SO UNTIL NEXT TIME GUYS AND GIRLS.**


	19. Chapter 19

**HEY GUYS AND GIRLS, IT'S ME AGAIN. HOPEFULLY I DIDN'T ANGER ANYONE WITH THE LAST CHAPTER OR MY AUTHOR'S NOTE AT THE END. I DON'T KNOW WHY I DO ONE AT THE BEGINNING AND THE END THOUGH. I DOUBT A LOT OF PEOPLE READ IT ANYWAY BUT IT'S FUN. I GET TO SAY MY OWN SH!T AND NO ONE CAN DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT (WELL I HOPE NOT). SORRY ABOUT THE ERRORS AND MISTAKES AGAIN. I PROMISE I WILL TRY BETTER.**

 **HAPPY READING:)**

"This is one awesome ball." A Suna-nin commented next to Shikamaru as he fetched a drink on the table in front of them. Shikamaru and Hinata were having a lovely conversation while Naruto and Sakura were still gone. A group of female shinobi led by Matsuri and her best friend then took Hinata away from him which is why he found himself alone again, well until he came to the drinks table where a Suna-nin tried to strike up a conversation.  
Shikamaru turned to the male beside him then tried to figure out who he was. He basically knew every shinobi in Sunagakure so if he really was a shinobi from Sunagakure then Shikamaru should know him but he didn't recognise him. The Suna-nin was bulkier and definitely looked much more solid than Shikamaru did. He had sandy blonde hair that reminded him of Temari's and he had a small cut on his chin that he definitely got during a recent mission judging by how it was healing. Shikamaru definitely didn't know who he was.

"Can't deny that." Shikamaru didn't really experience the full effect of the ball yet and he wasn't planning on doing that. He did what he came here to do so now he was basically just waiting for Sakura for some reason. He didn't want to leave without telling her.

"Not drinking?" The Suna-nin was definitely perceptive as he poured some wine into his glass.

"Not tonight unfortunately." Shikamaru poured himself some of the juice as the ninja next to him drained his glass before pouring him another one.  
"Not to be judgemental but you should probably slow down before you say something to one of these female shinobi and end up with your balls being crushed." The ninja laughed as they turned around and faced the dancefloor with their respective drinks in their hands.

"My girl would do that without warning even when I am sober." That explained his laughter. He knew a few girls like that. Hell, he dated one; Temari.

"Sounds troublesome."

"At least she's hot."

"If I may ask, how long have you and your girl been together?"

"Just about 2 years now. Time really flies." Both of them let out a chuckle at that last part. He was impressed that the ninja he was talking to had a relationship for nearly 2 years. He actually admired that. He split up with Temari after only 4 months but even that felt like a struggle most times so being together with a girl for nearly 2 years was admirable in his eyes.

"You must really love her then."

"Yep. We're planning on getting married as well." Marriage after only 2 years? Wasn't that a little rushed? He knew that arranged marriages happened very quickly at times but this didn't sound like it.

"Congratulations then." They clinked their drinks before drinking some.

"Thanks."

"Is she a ninja as well?" Shikamaru knew that he was asking a lot of personal questions but his new friend didn't seem to mind. It was probably due to the fact that he was drinking but Shikamaru wasn't going to stop him anytime soon.

"Yeah. She's actually here tonight." He looked around to try and find her and Shikamaru had to admit that he was actually interested in finding out who this girl was.  
"There she is talking to her brothers." He pointed to the people he was referring to and Shikamaru immediately recognised those Suna-nin; Gaara, Kankuro and Temari. His mind immediately raced through the information he just received. A wealth of emotions ran through his body but one stood out proudly and prominently; anger.

"You're getting married to Temari?" Shikamaru hid his anger well as he tried to continue this conversation but he really just wanted to leave right now.

"Yeah. I'm marrying the Kazekage's sister." He was clearly proud of that fact. Shikamaru found himself wanting to punch the smug grin off the ninja next to him but he decided to drain his glass rather.

"Hopefully you don't break her heart because I am sure that the Kazekage would break your back if you do." Shikamaru turned around and decided to pour himself something stronger than juice this time. Sakura wasn't here to see and he definitely needed it right now if he was going to get through this conversation without trying to destroy the ninja next to him.

"All 3 of them scare the hell out of me but they seem to like me so I guess I am fine for now." He replied as Shikamaru turned around again and eyed Temari. The ninja next to him did nothing to justify Shikamaru's anger so he fixed his anger all on Temari.  
"Finally poured yourself a drink." He noticed.

"I need it if I am going to enjoy the ball." He replied as he took a sip. Temari looked around and her eyes immediately locked onto Shikamaru's menacing ones. She looked confused for a moment then she immediately looked worried when she saw who Shikamaru was standing next to.

"Want me to introduce you to them?" The Suna-nin politely offered. If only he knew just how intimately Shikamaru knew the 3 siblings.

"Not tonight. Looks like your girl is coming over so I am going to give you guys your space. Don't do anything indecent here though, leave that for tonight." Shikamaru immediately offered the ninja next to him a fist bump which he immediately accepted.

"Enjoy the rest of the ball as well." Shikamaru nodded then decided to walk away as fast but as casually as possible before Temari could reach them. He went straight to the nearest door and exited the ballroom. He saw another door that led to outside the building so he immediately took it. He didn't know where he was going but if he was going to get lost then he was certain that no one was going to find him and bother him so he didn't mind.  
He took a sip of the strong drink in his hands as he found himself in some sort of garden. There was a pathway that was filled with different plants on either side so he calmly walked along it. This was actually helping him to cool down. The sun looked like it had just set but the temperature felt like it dropped rather rapidly. The path finally ended and led to the most picture perfect pond in the middle of the botanical beauty Shikamauru found himself in. There was a stone bench at the edge of the pond that had Shikamaru's name written all over it. Shikamaru planted himself on the bench then took a sip of the strong liquid and let it burn down his throat.

"I thought I told you no drinking tonight." Great, look when she decided to show up. The one time he wanted to be alone then she shows up. When he wanted to hangout with her earlier then she decided that she had something else to do that was more important. Now she was just being annoying.

"I guess I didn't hear that part clearly." She sat down next to him on the bench then grabbed the drink from his hands and drained it.

"There's nothing stopping me from kicking your ass now you know." She threatened him but he didn't seem bothered by it. Hell, he looked like he wanted her to do it.

"Go right ahead." He definitely wasn't trying to defend himself. Sakura on the other hand had a very concerned expression on her face now as she stared at the Nara.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Just needed some air."

"Cut the crap Shikamaru. Something is bothering you so tell me." She clearly wasn't in the mood for any games but he wasn't in the mood for games now either.

"Shikamaru, I know you're angry right now but please just let me explain." Looks like she found him as well, troublesome woman. He should've expected nothing less from 2 of the best kunoichi he knew.

"You girls clearly want to talk so talk to each other and leave me out of it." Shikamaru said as he stood up.

"Please just let me explain." Temari tried to grab his arm but immediately moved his arm away from her.

"Just stay the hell out of my way." Shikamaru was surprised by his self control. He wanted so much to just go off on Temari but he managed to keep his cool. He didn't allow her to affect his emotions any more than she already has.  
He quickly jumped up the nearest tree then used that to jump onto the roof and out of the compound. He knew that he wasn't familiar with the town and its surroundings and he was well aware of the fact that there was a dangerous enemy lurking around so he didn't want to pose as a target by going into the forest alone at night so he decided to go back to the house he was sharing with Naruto, Hinata and Sakura. At least he would be alone there right now. It took him a couple of minutes and he immediately found himself back in the house. He undressed him and decided to jump in the shower. He was finished with the day so all he wanted to do was get clean then get into bed. He managed to get one part done without being bothered but when he got back to his room he found Sakura already relaxing on his bed.

"If you didn't want to be bothered then why come back to the house that you're sharing with 3 other people?" Sakura looked up at the ceiling as she spoke. She probably wanted to give him some privacy since she knew he was in the shower. If that was her logic then she should've left his room altogether but he knew her better than that. She was as stubborn as he was, if not more.

"I came to my room so that I can be alone." Shikamaru corrected her.

"You should've locked your door then."

"The doors don't have locks."

"Exactly." She was frustrating. He hated how easily she could get one up on him. It was like she lived for moments like these where she could out play the genius. He put on some underwear as the coldness wrapped around him. He knew that he should probably put on some more clothes if he didn't want to get sick but right now the coldness was the only thing making him feel alive.

"Move up." He ordered her as he made his way to his bed. The bed wasn't exactly made for 2 people but both of them were slim enough to comfortably fit on it so there shouldn't be a problem especially if she was going to insist on staying.

"To where?" Looks like she really wanted to frustrate him tonight. He really didn't have energy for this right now so he just turned around and walked out of his room. He wasn't going to allow her to spoil his day further. He took a blanket out of the cupboard in the hallway then went to the lounge and threw himself down on the couch. It wasn't ideal but it was comfortable enough. He knew he would probably wake up with a few sore muscles tomorrow morning but it was worth it if he was finally going to be left alone.  
"Seriously? Come back to your bedroom and I will leave you alone." She really didn't know when to quit. What the fuck was wrong with her?

"Leave me alone." He replied then closed his eyes. Suddenly he felt her body on him immediately angering him but all that anger faded away when he opened his eyes and looked into her concerned ones.

"What did Temari do that has you like this? Tell me or else I go back to the ball and singlehandedly start the Fifth Shinobi War." He didn't doubt that she could do that and he didn't doubt that she would do it. She seldom made threats then didn't follow up with it. If her words weren't loud enough then her actions would definitely scream her message across.

"Can we not talk about her?" He asked her as he refused to make eye contact with her.

"The best way to get past this is to get through it." She made herself more comfortable on the couch but no matter what she did was bound to make the lazy ninja more uncomfortable so he laid on his side and decided to allow her to slot in next to him then put the blanket around her as well. They were face to face with each other now and he found himself just wanting to be in her embrace for the rest of the night. He wanted to be alone but he wanted to be alone with her.  
"I am not going to stop so why do we hate Temari?"

"We?" Why did that make him feel better. This was his problem so she didn't have to include herself.

"You hate her which means that I hate her as well so we hate her." Her smile seemed to erase all the pain he was feeling right now. She guided her hand down his rough arms under the blankets until it finally reached his hand. He immediately put his fingers through hers as she moved a strand of his hair out of the way of his face. He left his hair down when he came out of the shower since he wasn't planning on going out again.  
"I don't like hating people without a reason as well so tell me. You don't have to be alone anymore." Damn, she really knew what to say and when to say it.

"That whole family are lying pieces of crap." Shikamaru finally stated.

"Even Gaara?" He knew why she was surprised to hear that. Gaara had been as honest as Naruto which is why the two of them got along so well with each other. Gaara had never lied to them so this was definitely a shock to her.

"He didn't lie exactly but he didn't tell me the truth either so he might as well have lied to me anyway."

"Okay, explain this from the beginning." Sakura instructed him.

"I met Temari's fiance earlier and he told me that they've been together for basically 2 years."

"Fiance? 2 years? Weren't you and Temari still together last year?" At least she was quick to understand.

"Yep. For most of our relationship, she was in another relationship with another guy." Shikamaru informed her.

"That bitch." Normally Shikamaru would stop her from saying things like that but this time she took the words right out of his mouth.

"It explains why she didn't give our relationship another chance or even try to understand why I flirted with another girl. She was looking for a way out and that was the perfect opportunity. Gaara and Kankuro must've known about their relationship already or else they would've banned me from going back to Suna for breaking their sister's heart. Instead, Gaara became more helpful and Kankuro became less of a dick. I have to admit, their plan was actually perfect but they clearly forgot to tell her fiance." He felt a lot better after that now. It was weird but it looked like all the anger he was feeling was transferred to Sakura. She looked ready for the next war which she was probably going to start by the looks of things.

"Fuck Kankuro, fuck Gaara and fuck Temari." Sakura adamantly stated.

"I'd rather just fuck you." Shikamaru's reply immediately left her speechless. He had a sly smile on his face as he moved a couple of strands of hair out of her face. He was proud that he was able to get one up on her right now.

"Fuck you too." Sakura stubbornly told him as a smile appeared but quickly disappeared from her face.

"Thank you." His words were sincere and true and he really meant it.

"It's my pleasure. You're a stubborn and irritating piece of crap but I'm here for you."

"Wow, we really need to work on your ability to accept praises."

"We?" This time a smirk proudly displayed on her face.

"I was just being thoughtful since we hate the sand siblings now." He explained but she clearly didn't care about the explanation.

"I like the sound of that." Did she like the sound of them hating the sand siblings or the sound of 'we'? Probably the sound of 'we' now that he thought about it.

"Well what are 'we' exactly?" This was as good a time as any to talk about their relationship right? There wasn't exactly an ideal situation where they could talk about this but this was as good as it was going to get.

"You're the one that seems to make all the decisions between us so you tell me." Giving him all the power so that if he fails then her hands are clean, good move.

"You always hate my decisions then make your own decisions anyway so I think you should tell me so that we don't have to go through this long process." Counter move.

"I don't know. I believe that people can change so maybe you finally make a decision that is the best for both of us." She was good. It was weirdly exciting.

"After Temari and I broke up I never wanted to be in another relationship again. I just thought that I would let my parents and the elders in my clan arrange my marriage for me so that I didn't have to go through what I went through with Temari again."

"So no relationship then." Sakura concluded.

"If you'd let me finish..."

"Then you'd say more things that I don't want to hear."

"How would you know that?"

"Because I know you."

"Then tell me what I was going to say then."

"You were going to say that you didn't want your already broken heart to be crushed even further or something dramatic like that."

"That's not what I was going to say."

"Then tell me."

"I would if you would stop interrupting me."

"Well then don't tell me something I don't want to hear."

"So you don't want to hear how much I hate that I want to be in your company even when I want to be alone and how I hate that you constantly challenge everything I do but hearing your voice makes all of it worth it and how..." His words were immediately cut off when her lips planted themselves hungrily on his. He immediately melted into her embrace as her kiss livened up his entire body. Her hand unhooked from his and immediately found their way around his neck and got lost in his hair as they deepened their kiss. His hands travelled around her waist then up to the top of her dress. He found the zip then slowly brought it down until it couldn't go any further.

"You should keep your hair down. I like it like this." She told him as he continued kissing her while she took off her dress. The blanket rode down as she got rid of her dress but they didn't seem to mind. Her lips returned to his as he reached around her and unclasped her bra. It was a strapless bra thankfully so he easily discarded the piece of clothing as he brought her body right up against his. He moved down her body and began placing kisses down her neck then to her chest until he finally reached her breasts. He immediately kissed her right breast as he used his thumb to circle her hard nipple on her left breast. She moaned as he teased her, not giving her the satisfaction and attention her breasts wanted. He continued circling her nipples with his tongue and thumb until she couldn't take it anymore and pushed his head down against her erect nipple. He immediately started sucking the nipple then flicking it with his tongue and lightly nibbling on it making her back arch as her moans filled his ear. He pinched her other nipple slightly between his thumb and index causing more moans.  
He then moved his free hand down her firm stomach then stopped when he reached the top of her underwear. He began teasing her again then heard her moan of disapproval so he pushed his hand into her underwear and gently rubbed his fingers against the soft, moist flesh of her entrance.  
"Stop being such a tease." She voiced her disapproval. He quickly replied by switching breasts while pushing one of his fingers into her vagina. He began exploring the inside of her cavern with one finger then gently added another one.

"Is that alright?" He cheekily asked her as she tried to answer through her moans.

"I want... more." She removed her hands from his soft hair then pulled off his underwear. She grabbed his fully erect member in her hands and began pumping it much to his pleasure.

"Then how about I give you more?" He replied as he removed the last of her clothing then positioned her on her back under him. He slowly positioned himself at her entrance then slowly began entering her.

"Yeeeeesssss." Sakura cried out as her walls clenched his thick member while he drove himself deeper into her.

"You're so tight Sakura, relax." He leaned down then kissed her again as he used one hand to stabilise himself while the other one fondled her breasts. He could feel her body relaxing so he finally pushed himself as far into her as he could without hurting her. He pulled out of her until only the head of his penis rested in her then pushed himself back into her. Her moans urged him on and he politely replied by going further into her than before. He continued with a steady rhythm as her legs wrapped around him. His hand moved from her breasts down to where they were connected now. He found the small bud tucked between her folds so gently began massaging it.

"Fuck, yes Shikamaru." She continued moaning as he began speeding up what he was doing. He felt her walls clenching down on him again while her hands moved down to his back this time. Her fingers dug into his flesh as she rode out her orgasm. He pushed through the tightness again as she tried to get her heavy breathing under control again.

"You're not the only one that understands the human body." This time he smirked while her cheeks reddened in response. He knew that she was a bit embarrassed that he could bring this side out of her but he knew that she didn't want him to stop anytime soon.  
"You're really beautiful Sakura." He looked her dead in the eyes as he spoke so that he could show her just how serious he was. He was seeing her in her purest form and he loved who he saw. Suddenly he saw a tear form in her eyes then run down her face. He was confused so he stopped what he was doing and turned his full attention to her. Did he do something or say something wrong? Did he hurt her? What happened?

"No, don't stop." She wiped away the tear only for another one to form. It wasn't exactly a turn on but her happiness was his top priority so he didn't care.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I'm just being stupid." She replied but he wasn't buying it. He laid down next to her again as he wrapped his arms around her.

"We're literally lying in each other's arms in our most vulnerable forms so don't hide things from me. You helped me earlier so let me help you now." Another tear escaped but he wiped it away this time.

"Life is just unfair and messed up. Innocent people and good people die everyday for no reason and we're just supposed to move on and continue like nothing happened. We just have to be happy and have sex and smile and find love while there are other people who are dying. It's just unfair."

"You're feeling guilty for being happy." He concluded.

"No, it's just that I need someone to blame. There needs to be a reason for all this sadness and death. There needs to be a reason for all this pain and sickness. This all just can't be by chance. I can't be going through this by chance." Going through what? Was she sick? What the hell was going on?

"Sakura, is there something wrong with you? Are you sick or in pain?" His mind raced with the possibilities of what could be happening. Was this the reason why she kept tensing up?

 **WOW, OKAY THAT WAS INTERESTING. I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS HERE BUT FIRSTLY, WHY THE F*** IS THIS STORY SO FRUSTRATING? LIKE IT GETS TO A GOOD PART BUT THEN THE AUTHOR JUST ENDS IT. I LIKE THE AUTHOR SOME TIMES BUT THEN HE DOES SH!T LIKE THIS AND I WANT TO STRANGLE HIM. I KNOW COMPLAINING ABOUT IT IS STUPID BUT I AM JUST ANOTHER STUPID GUY I GUESS SO UNTIL NEXT TIME GUYS AND GIRLS, SEE YA.**


	20. Chapter 20

**HEY GUYS AND GIRLS, IT'S ONLY ME. MANY OF YOU HAVE PROBABLY BEEN WAITING TO FIND OUT WHAT IS ACTUALLY WRONG WITH SAKURA AND SO HAVE I. THIS IS KIND OF EXCITING. THANKS FOR ALL THE FEEDBACK, I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. I'M SORRY FOR ALL THE MISTAKES AS USUAL BUT I TRIED MY BEST WITH CHAPTER.**

 **HAPPY READING**

"You made breakfast?" Sakura asked him the next morning as he placed 2 plates on the wooden table a couple of feet away from the couch they slept on the night before.

"You were sleeping and I was hungry. I figured that I might as well make enough for you as well." Shikamaru explained then returned to the small kitchen. He saw Sakura trying to find her underwear while she kept the blanket around her to cover her nude form. He smiled as he remembered the events of last night. Everything was perfect up until Sakura began crying. Her happiness was his top priority but there was a part of him that just wished that they could continue last night.  
What did upset him a little was that she didn't tell him what was wrong with her. She admitted that something happened to her and he knew that it had something to do with her tensing up but he didn't know exactly what it was. She was frustrating but she was worth all the trouble.

"Are Naruto and Hinata here?" Sakura asked him as he finished their tea.

"Yeah. They're in Naruto's room." Shikamaru checked on them earlier. Hinata was awake but Naruto was still fast asleep. She said that she was going back to sleep though so only he and Sakura were awake right now.

"Both of them?" He knew where Sakura was going with this but it was expected. Both Naruto and Hinata had no one standing in their way last night so he understood why they would take their opportunities as they came.

"Yep." He confirmed. He carried their tea over to the table as Sakura finally put on her underwear. He brought the table closer to them then took his seat next to her on the soft furniture.

"Go Hinata." Sakura was clearly happy for the young Hyuga and in a way, so was he. She has had a crush on that goofy ninja forever so he was glad that it worked out in the end.

"She's definitely going to have her hands full if she's going to explain to her father that she wants to marry Naruto." Shikamaru stated.

"Why do you say that?" Sakura asked him then began eating the basic breakfast that Shikamaru made.

"You are his teammate. You know exactly how much of a pain it is living with him. Hell, I've only spent a few nights with him and his habits drove me insane. He literally leaves his dirt wherever he wants to."

"Okay, that I understand. Maybe he will change for Hinata or she will inspire him to do better." Sakura definitely believed in her teammate but he was sure that no one could rival Hinata's belief in him. She literally put her life on her life for him already so it was only natural.

"As long as they make each other happy then they shouldn't care about what their families think."

"Does that apply to us as well?" Sakura casually shot back. That one question silenced the Nara as his mind tried to wrap around it. He shoved some food in his mouth as he tried to think of an answer to that. He never thought about what their parents would say about their relationship. His mother and Kurenai did joke about him marrying her but he didn't know how they'd really react when he told them that they were actually in a relationship now.

"My mother likes you so I don't foresee her not approving of our relationship. How about your parents?" This time it was her turn to be nervous.

"My parents like you as well and they haven't exactly been against me dating as long as it is someone that will treat me properly. Obviously my dad would be protective over me but he isn't that bad. They know you as well so they know that you're respectible." He felt relieved to hear that. Their families were probably going to be the biggest influences in their relationship so he was happy to hear that they weren't going to prove to be that much of a problem.

"What about our friends then? What do you think their opinion would be of us?" Their friends would definitely have mixed feelings but he honestly didn't care about what they thought.

"Ino would definitely want to know every detail about us but she won't be against us and neither would Hinata. Tenten doesn't care I think. What about the guys?"

"Choji would approve of us so that's enough. Everyone else doesn't matter."

"Come on Shikamaru, don't be lazy."

"That's kinda hard to do when you're actually known for your laziness." He replied as he had a bit of a chuckle at that.

"You're actually known for your intelligence and your spiky hair. I like it when it's down like this." She immediately dragged her fingers through his hair as she smiled.

"It's longer than yours." He pointed out.

"Have you ever tried wearing it the way Neji wore his?"

"Nope. That's the Hyuga's way though. If I am seen wearing my hair like that then it would be seen as disrespectful towards them."

"True. It was just a thought though." She stated as she continued eating. "Anyway, we got off topic there. What do you think the other guys would say about us?"

"Naruto would obviously warn me about breaking your heart. Sai would probably say something awkward. Shino doesn't give a crap about relationships as far as I can tell. Kiba would say something disgusting and pervertted. Lee would be heartbroken that you chose me instead of him. Akamaru would give us his bark of approval." He saw her smile at the mention of the non-human character in their group.

"Akamaru is just as important as any other member I suppose." She agreed.

"I guess we have everyone's approval that we need so now we just need to tell them."

"Hinata and Naruto already know so that's 2 down already."

"That's more than enough work for today then."

"You're just lazy."

"Told you so." His reply earned him a light shove from his pink haired lover but he playfully shoved her back as they ate.

"So you're going to be leading the Shinobi Union, sounds like a lot of troublesome work for you." Her change of topic wasn't expected but he didn't mind talking about it to her. She was in the room when he spoke about it last night and he told them nearly everything he knew so there was no secrets there.

"Only temporarily." He reminded her.

"Who do you honestly expect to be a better leader than you?" That was a good question. He thought about it for a moment but only one person came to mind.

"Darui."

"Darui?" He didn't know if she was more surprised by the name he gave her or that he actually gave her a name.

"The Kumo-nin with white hair…"

"I know who he is." She voiced her annoyance. "Why him though?"

"He's strong, calm under pressure, extremely knowledgeable and skilled, intelligent and able to adapt to situations easily. I saw his strnegth firsthand during the war and he was the First Division Commander during the war. Hell, his more suited to lead the Shinobi Union than I am." He thought about what he said but he didn't disagree with a word he said.

"Why didn't you make him the leader in the first place then?"

"The Kage would've had their opinion about it and there wasn't exactly time for a debate since we needed to get things done. Once everything is settled down then I will propose that he leads the Shinobi Union. Then they can argue amongst themselves."

"Sounds like a drag." She smirked as she said those words as she turned to her lazy lover.

"Troublesome woman." He finished his breakfast and decided to lay back on the couch and rest.

"Can I ask you something?" She finished her breakfast as well then went closer to him and laid on her side as she faced him.

"Sure." He agreed as hundreds of possible questions ran through his head. He was expecting anything from marriage to war at this point but he was prepared for anything she threw at him.

"Why do you hate Sasuke?" Okay, he wasn't prepared for that question. He was left dumbfounded for a second before he regained his composure and thought about how to answer that question. He didn't want to hurt her feelings with his answer but he also knew that not telling her the truth would be disrespectful.

"I don't hate him. I just don't like the fact that he didn't put in the effort to try to fit in with us." He was honest but he tried his best not to be painfully honest.

"His family died in an instant so he there was no way he was going to fit in anywhere anymore."

"Naruto didn't even have a family but he still managed to fit in with us." He pointed out but he turned to her and could see the frustration on her face.

"Sasuke had everything he ever needed then in an instant his happiness was taken away and his life was turned upside down." He didn't know why she was picking this fight but he wasn't going to back down. Sasuke was always going to be a factor in their relationship so it was better to get it sorted out now.

"Naruto had his happiness taken away before he could even speak." If it was possible, her frustration seemed to increase.

"We can't compare their pain." She finally stated.

"But we can judge their actions." If looks could kill, Sakura just murdered him in at least 10 different lifetimes.  
"Look, I understand that what Sasuke went through was life changing in a bad way for him but that doesn't mean that he had to be an ass. We put in all the effort to try and get him to be a part of our group and he just threw it in our face and left us. He decided that we're not good enough for him and that's unforgiveable no matter who you are."

"He was just trying to get stronger."

"Kakashi is a legendary ninja all over the ninja realm. Kakashi even had the Sharingan so who better could he ask to learn from?" Sakura didn't reply. She couldn't even look him in the eye. He could tell that she was battling with her emotions inside but he had no problem there. He didn't like Sasuke and that was that. 

"You and Naruto are the only people who know Sasuke better than he knows himself right now. You know what he struggles with and how he tackles his problems. It's not my place to judge him but that's how I feel about him. I don't care about what you feel about him as long as it doesn't affect our relationship."

"It won't." She quickly replied. At least she was sure of that.

"Good because I kind of like having you all to myself." This time he leaned in closer to her then kissed her. It was short but passionate but it conveyed the message he was trying to tell her.

"I'm sorry that I brought this up."

"Don't be. He's your friend so we were going to have this conversation sooner or later. It's better that we could have this conversation as civilly as we did."

"I guess you're right about that." She agreed as she finally smiled.

"I'll clean up here so you can go shower you if you want to."

"Sounds like a plan."

"Another one of my specialities." He proudly said as he stood up.

"How about you and that brain of yours clean quickly then you can be in time to wash my back?" She suggested as she sexily bit her bottom lip then stood up and walked down the passage to the bathroom before he could reply.

"Tch… troublesome woman." He had his lazy smile on his face but he worked as fast as he could to take Sakura up on her offer.

 **EVERYONE WHO'S READY TO KILL THIS AUTHOR TYPE 'I' BECAUSE I AM DONE WITH HIM. I WOULD KILL HIM MYSELF BUT I NEED SOMEONE TO HELP ME HIDE THE BODY UNLESS YOU GUYS HAVE A BETTER WAY TO DISPOSE OF HIM. I HAVE TO SAY THIS THOUGH, AT LEAST HE GIVES US INSIGHT INTO THEIR RELATIONSHIP BUT I STILL WANT ACTION AND DRAMA AND I WANT TO F***ING KNOW WHAT IS WRONG WITH SAKURA ALREADY! THIS IS SO FRUSTRATING. HOPEFULLY I CALM DOWN BY THE NEXT CHAPTER SO UNTIL THEN GUYS AND GIRLS, SEE YA.**


	21. Chapter 21

**HEY GUYS AND GIRLS. SORRY FOR THE WAIT BUT I'VE BEEN UNEXPECTEDLY QUITE BUSY THESE PAST FEW WEEKS. LIFE IS BEING SUCH A DRAG BUT I MANAGED TO TYPE THIS IS IN THE SHORT TIME I HAD TO MYSELF. THANKS FOR ALL THE SUPPORT AND COMMENTS EVERYONE. I THOUGHT THIS STORY WOULD'VE BEEN AN EPIC FAIL BY NOW (I GUESS I CAN'T RULE THAT OUT JUST YET) SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR MAKING IT WORTH TYPING. I'M SORRY FOR THE ERRORS AND MISTAKES AGAIN BUT I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO EDIT THIS CHAPTER.**

 **HAPPY READING**

"So you and Sakura?" Izumo asked the lazy ninja as they waited for the hokage to join the group before they left to go back to Konoha.

"First Temari and now Sakura, you really do have a death wish." Kotetsu stated. Shikamaru let out a sigh as he looked up at the sky. He really didn't feel like dealing with anyone except Sakura right now. They had spent all night and morning together but he still wanted to see her. He hated that. She was able to wrap herself into his life with ease and he hated how easily he allowed her to do that. But he had to admit, he loved that troublesome woman.

"You really are your father's son." Izumo's words caught his attention there. Everyone compared him to his father but this was the first time someone suggested that he was becoming his father. For some weird reason he felt relieved and somewhat proud of himself. He always believed that he would never be half the man his father was yet here was someone who knew his father and believed that he could walk in his father's shoes.

"No, you're better than your father. He always gave us the worst jobs to do. You're at least more fun to work with than he was." Was Kotetsu still drunk from last night or was this just how he usually was? Shikamaru worked with the pair a lot but he never paid much attention to their personalities outside of missions and battles since he hardly hung out with them except for the occassional drink after a mission or drink at a party that they happened to be at.

"I guess I need to do the same then as well." Shikamaru finally piped up.

"You can't do that." Kotetsu was confident and way too sure of himself as he said that.

"I am Kakashi's right-hand man so if I tell him that you guys are better suited for some B-rank mission then he would believe me and he would tell Genma to give you guys the order or he would actually do it himself." He knew that he would shake Kotetsu's confidence a bit and it worked as the older shinobi stared at him in desperation.

"Come on Shikamaru. We're your friends. We'll go out tonight once we reach the village then we can have a good time just please don't give us boring missions like that please." Shikamaru smirked but Izumo was less subtle as he let out a laugh at his partner.

"Asuma would've been laughing his ass off right now." Izumo casually said as he wiped away a tear from all his laughter.

"You guys played me. I am going to get you guys back." Shikamaru couldn't help but think of his friendship with the chubby Akimichi. He had heard Choji utter those exact words at him and Ino on more than a few occassions just like Kotetsu had done now. He surprisingly missed those times. Everything was simpler and easy and the only thing that plagued his mind was how he could get out of training to go lay on a bed of grass and let the sun warm him as his mind drifted off.

"First get sober before you go plotting any revenge schemes." Izumo told his best friend then threw his arm around him.  
"So you joining us tonight Shikamaru or do you already have plans with Sakura?"

"I can't go anywhere. Sakura and Kakashi are forcing me to take a week off to rest so that's what I am going to do. I'm still healing from a concussion so I don't want to risk it." Shikamaru explained.

"I heard about you falling off a roof. How drunk were you?" Izumo asked him.

"Not drunk, just tired which is why I need the rest." Shikamaru saw a group approaching them in the distance which was strange since the only people that he expected to join the 3 ninja was Kakashi, Genma, Sakura, Naruto and Hinata but he could see what looked like 6 other figures with them.

"Looks like the Suna-nin are joining us." Izumo stated. How he could see that the 6 other people were the Suna-nin was beyond the Nara but as the group came closer, Shikamaru confirmed the 6 other ninja; Gaara, Kankuro, Temari, Matsuri, Yukata and Temari's fiance.

"The more the merrier." Shikamaru was almost certain that if Kotetsu had a drink in his hands then he would've toasted it and drained the glass.

"Wait, who's that guy next to Temari?" Shikamaru wanted to turn around and make the journey back to Konoha alone when he heard that question. Sakura had been a huge help in rescuing his mind from thinking about Temari and her family but reality came crashing down on him again.

"Her fiance apparently." The surprises on their faces were unmistakable. They slowly turned to face each other then surprisingly began laughing. That actually lifted Shikamaru's spirit a bit. He was glad that they were laughing but he didn't know exactly why and he didn't really care anyway.

"Someone actually proposed to her and she said yes?" Kotetsu hysterical laughter was clearly rubbing off on Izumo.

"I know she's your ex Shikamaru but she scared me. I can't believe that anyone would marry that." Now Izumo was sounding like he had something to drink this morning. He was being a little rude but right now Shikamaru didn't give a crap about anything someone said about her.

"I guess he swept her off her feet or blew her away." Shikamaru joined in on their laughter. He knew that those were bad puns but he had to say it. It actually felt good to make fun of them a little. He had no problem with the guy whatsoever. Hell, he liked him surprisingly so he didn't mean any offence to him but he couldn't care less about the woman he was marrying.

"You… we need to… drink…" Kotetsu managed to say through his laughter. Shikamaru got the message though.

"Definitely Shikamaru. You're coming drinking with us soon. You're fun to have around surprisingly." Izumo said more fluently as their laughter died down before the group got any closer.

"I will think about it. I will have some free time on my hands so I might take you guys up on the offer." Shikamaru finally gave in.

"We look forward to it then. No Sakura though, just guys." Kotetsu firmly ordered me.

"Guys only." Shikamaru nodded in agreement then stood up straight and presentable. He saw Izumo and Kotetsu do the same as the familiar group finally reached them.

"Hokage-sama, Kazekage-sama." The three ninja bowed as they greeted the 2 leaders.

"The Kazekage and his ninja will be accompanying us to Konoha." Kakashi informed them, much to Shikamaru's displeasure.

"Great, we look forward to travelling with you." Kotetsu turned to Izumo then to Shikamaru as he tried not to laugh.

"We heard you guys laughing, want to share the joke?" Kankuro asked them.

"It's kind of an inside joke we remember Asuma telling us. It will just sound like nonsense if we tell it." Shikamaru bluntly told him. There was absolutely no emotion in his tone as he spoke. It almost sounded unnatural.

"Let's leave the fun and games for when we get back to the village." Genma shot them a look and the three of them immediately kept quiet.  
"The path back to the village is relatively safe but keep your eyes open." Genma ordered them.

"I guess we're up then." Izumo said as he and Kotetsu made their way to the path leading out of the village. They were clearly going to be the ones leading the group and Shikamaru really didn't want to be close to any of the Suna-nin so he immediately walked behind the 2 partners.

"Trying to run away from me already?" Sakura appeared next to him as he walked. The path did allow for 2 people to walk side by side so he was grateful that it was Sakura.

"You're not the one I'm trying to get away from." He didn't have to remind her who their 'enemy' was did he?

"Hey, forget about them. When we get back to the village then I'm taking you straight to your house so that your mother and Kurenai don't kill you then we can just relax."

"Do you think they would mind if we ran ahead to the village then? Just to make sure that there's no traps up ahead and that the village hasn't been destroyed again." She smiled at him then gave him a quick kiss.

"It's cute that you want to get to the village to be with me but it's not all about the destination. Enjoy the journey with me. Slow and steady wins the race."

"That's not what you told me this morning in the shower." He softly whispered to her but she immediately blushed in response.

"Screw you."

"Slow down there. You can do that once we reach the village." He triumphantly smirked at her but he could see her stepping away from him so he immediately grabbed her hand to stop her from escaping any further.  
"I thought you wanted to enjoy the journey together?"

"You were being an ass so you don't deserve to enjoy it with me."

"I don't deserve you even when I am not an ass."

"You got that right." She smirked as she moved closer to him again.

"You two, pay attention. This is not a romantic walk in the park." Genma instructed them as he appeared behind them.

"Yes sir." Both ninja replied. They turned to each other and smiled but kept their hands to themselves again. They were still on a mission so they needed to act accordingly.

"So we're in the village again." Sakura pointed out as they stood in Shikamaru's office after their journey.

"Yep. I just need to get my work then you can take me home I guess." Shikamaru replied as he began gathering a couple of scrolls. His desk was neatly cluttered with pages but he seemed to know exactly where everything was.

"Aren't you supposed to be the one who makes sure that I get home safely?" Sakura sat down then crossed her right leg over her left leg as she innocently watched her spiky haired lover. She may have looked innocent but her words were cunning and challenging to say the least.

"Who says that you're going home?" He lazily looked up at the beautiful kunoichi sitting a few feet away from him. This time it was his turn to look innocent as she tried to think of an answer.

"I have patients that I need to check up on at the hospital." She tried to sound casual but confident but his stare seemed to look through her answer.

"Lady Tsunade is an excellent medic ninja, not to mention your mentor. With Shizune's help, I am pretty sure that the hospital could do without you for one night and I am still a patient if you forgot." He stood up straight as he looked at her. He knew that she was a strong female force so she probably wasn't used to being so easily backed into a corner when she was on top just a moment ago. He was actually interested in how she would reply.

"You're clearly doing great so my talents would be more useful for some who needs it." Okay, not what he was expecting but he knew exactly how to get a more truthful and honest response out of her.

"You do realise that Kurenai is also living in my house. She's expected to give birth next week right and natural births can happen anytime in the month the baby is due so having a doctor in the house this close to the due date couldn't hurt." Her expression clearly changed. Her once strong and confident features melted into a softer expression again.

"You're right. I guess I do deserve a night off." Giving in, that was really surprising but it really shouldn't have been. Sakura might've been seen as a strong and independent woman let alone one of the most idoled and feared kunoichi right now but that really was just the exterior. She was a complete mystery deep down but he was glad that he had the opportunity to learn more about the girl he had known for most of his life.  
"You don't look like you're going to take the night off though." She motioned down to the scrolls in his one hand and the stack of pages in the other.

"I have some work to do but I can leave that until tomorrow. I am sure the Kage will understand that I need to rest as well." A knock on the door immediately grabbed both of their attention.  
"Looks like someone actually knows how to use a door in this place." Shikamaru joke certainly lifted the mood in the room as Sakura smiled.

"You guys are the most important people in the village. Right now you're leading one of the most impressive coallitions in the history of the shinobi realm so you can't blame us if we need to speak to you urgently." Sakura stated as she stood up and made her way to the door. She opened it but refused to say anything.

"Good evening Sakura, is Shikamaru in here?" That was Gaara's unmistakeable voice. The Kazekage might be an ally right now but something about the way he spoke still sent a shiver up the shadow ninja's spine.  
Sakura moved out of the way and allowed Gaara to enter the room but Shikamaru could immediately sense the bad vibe between the two shinobi. He knew that Sakura was going to support him in his hatred towards the 3 siblings but for some reason he felt like she had a bigger hatred towards them than he had.

"Kazekage-sama, what can I do for you?" Shikamaru bluntly asked him. He was really getting good at that tone of voice.

"Shikamaru, I understand that you found out about Temari's engagement." Gaara clearly wasn't going to sugarcoat that and Shikamaru respected that so out of respect for the younger Kage, he wasn't going to sugarcoat his words as well.

"Kazekage-sama, respectfully, don't address me if it doesn't have anything to do with our professional careers." Shikamaru stared at the Kazekage but Kazekage stared back at him with equal aggression.

"This affects our professional relationship."

"We have no professional relationship right now. Our relationship is only limited to talking about the Shinobi Union so if you do not have any information regarding that then we have nothing to talk about." He knew he was being petty right now but he deserved to be. Fool me once…

"Shikamaru, I know you're angry and on behalf of my family, I apologise." Gaara's words were sincere but his expression still seemed cold and sinister.

"I accept your apology. If there's nothing else Kazekage-sama, I have an appointment I have to attend." Shikamaru reluctantly gave the Wind Nations leader a bow then made his way past him. Sakura followed him out of the room then joined his side as he walked out of the building.

"Want to talk about that?" Sakura asked him.

"They don't deserve our words. Let's just focus on us." He replied.

"I have no problem doing that." She gave him a genuine smiled and he appreciated her effort.

"Go on a date with me." He suddenly told her.

"Are you asking me or ordering me?" She challenged him again. Why did she have to be so troublesome?

"I'm asking you, would you like to go on a date with me?" He properly asked her.

"I'll have to check my schedule. I'll get back to you." That actually made him smile. She was annoying and irritating so why the hell did he want her more than anyone else in the world?

"Tch… troublesome woman." Suddenly he activated his shadow stitching ability and used that to grab the pages and scrolls in his hands as he stopped Sakura in her tracks then brought her body right up against his.  
"You're such a drag." He gently planted his lips on hers as they slowly led themselves into a passionate kiss.

"You know, calling a female a 'drag' before you kiss them is not one of your best ideas." She told him when she broke their kiss.

"I'm kissing you so I guess it's not one of my worst ideas."

"You're lucky I am not your typical female."

"There's nothing 'typical' about you. You've always been something else." This time she initiated the kiss. He was glad that he could do this with her. She was really everything he needed in his life.

"You know, I think my schedule just cleared up."

"Lucky me then."

 **I GUESS THAT WRAPS UP A PRETTY UNDRAMATIC CHAPTER. LOOKS LIKE SHIKAMARU AND SAKURA ARE REALLY GOING TO GO THROUGH WITH HATING THE SAND SIBLINGS. (I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I F***ING LOVE SHIKATEMA BUT FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS STORY, I AM HATING THEM SO DON'T KILL ME JUST YET OR ELSE YOU'LL NEVER KNOW WHAT'S WRONG WITH SAKURA.) I DON'T KNOW WHEN I WILL BE ABLE TO WRITE THE NEXT CHAPTER BUT I WILL TRY TO DO IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. UNTIL NEXT TIME GUYS AND GIRLS, SEE YA.**


	22. Chapter 22

**HEY GUYS AND GIRLS. I AM SO SO SORRY ABOUT THE WAIT. THINGS HAVE BEEN SO HECTIC FOR ME THIS YEAR. I HARDLY EVEN HAVE TIME TO TYPE MY OTHER STORIES ANYMORE. I'M GLAD THAT I GOT TO TYPE THIS STORY AGAIN. I'M SORRY IF THIS CHAPTER ISN'T AS GOOD AS THE OTHERS BUT I AM JUST TRYING TO GET A FEEL FOR THIS FANFIC AGAIN. THANK YOU AGAIN TO EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN SUPPORTING THIS STORY. I'M SORRY FOR THE MISTAKES AS USUAL. I'M USING THE AMERICAN SPELLING NOW SO I HOPE IT DOESN'T CONFUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE.**

 **HAPPY READING**

"Looks like you finally found your way back home." Yoshino told her son when he entered the house carrying the scrolls and paperwork that he took from his office at the Hokage tower.

"It's good to see you too mom." He replied as he uncharacteristically gave his mother a hug. She had an iron spoon in her hand and her apron on so she must've been preparing dinner.

"You can put those in the study then go wash up before dinner."

"I just got home, couldn't you wait a minute before you start ordering me around?" He knew challenging his mother right now wasn't the best idea but he was just glad to be back home.

"Don't make me send you to the hospital." Yoshino threatened her son. He knew better than to be a smartass once his mother threatened him because she didn't make threats lightly.  
He remembered one night when his mother threatened not to make dinner if he and his father didn't clean the house. Both of them were too lazy and ignored the threat. Unfortunately for them, they ended up having to make their own dinners and still cleaning the house while Yoshino went over to the Akimichi's to join their dinner.

"Yes ma'am." Shikamaru was tempted to give his mother a bow but decided against it. She might've taken it the wrong way.

"I'm glad you're okay." This time Yoshino initiated the embrace. The lazy ninja just let it happen since he was too tired to do anything about it. His mother needed it more than he did especially after his father died. She needed to make sure that he was okay but that confused him since she was the one that wanted him to be a ninja again. He didn't dare question her logic though, more out of fear than anything else. No matter how much he loved his mother, she scared the hell out of him.

"I'm going to go put these things down." He immediately slipped away from his mother then walked down the passage that was neatly decorated with framed pictures of him and his parents that his mother put up after the war. This was actually the first time he was really looking at it and taking it in. He didn't really like taking pictures, it was just another troublesome thing that wasted his time. He would've preferred using that time to lay on a bed of grass somewhere under the warm rays of the bright sun. By his father's expressions in most of the photographs, he would've preferred doing something else as well.  
Suddenly one picture caught his attention. One perfect moment that captured the essence of the love he had for his father. One single frame of pure happiness that would never be attained again. He found himself being drawn to the picture and unable to move as the emotions came rushing back to him.

"Your father was such a drag on that trip." Kurenai's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He turned his head then saw the soon to be mother making her way down the passage. She was probably going to her room when she saw him.  
"We had a difficult time convincing him to come with us but ultimately your mother ended up threatening him into going. Lord Third was a little worried that Kakashi, Asuma and I were all taking some time off to join you and your parents but we needed the break. Your father still took his work with him but that afternoon was the first time I finally saw the fatherly side of the strict and stern Shikaku." Kurenai took the picture off the wall then held it in her hands as she stood next to the younger Nara.

"I don't remember this trip." Shikamaru felt his voice ready to break but he refused to give in. He didn't want to break down right now.

"You were only 2 so I doubt you will remember. You just started talking, well at least making sense in a way. That afternoon your mother packed us lunch and we wanted to have a picnic in a clearing in the woods. Your father forgot to bring the blanket and your mother didn't trust him enough to go back to the house we were staying in without continuing his work so your mother and I went to go fetch it and left you and your father to look after the food basically. We found you and your father laughing as you fed some nuts to the squirrels when we came back. You guys looked like you were having such a great time that we had to take a picture. That was one of the rare times I heard your father genuinely laugh as well. Your mother swears that this specific moment was when she knew that you were going to turn out exactly like your father. Looks like she was right." Kurenai smiled as she looked at the picture of a very young Shikamaru sitting in between his father's legs while both of them had the brightest smiles on their faces.

"When is she never right?" Shikamaru responded but had a tear rolling down his cheek.

"A mother just knows I guess." Kurenai reached out her arms and threw them around the taller ninja next to her. Shikamaru reluctantly wrapped his arms around the older woman as well. Despite the tear that escaped his eye, he wasn't sad. He was surprisingly happy. I guess it was a tear of joy.

"You're going to be a great mother." Shikamaru truthfully stated. He didn't have a doubt in his mind there.

"Well we're going to meet this little girl that has been so troublesome soon." Kurenai released Shikamaru then gently placed her hands on her protruding stomach. He smiled as he saw how happy Kurenai looked right now.

"She's going to be even more troublesome once she's here though." They shared a light chuckle at Shikamaru's reply.

"I helped look after you when you were a baby and you weren't a lot of work. All you wanted to do was sleep or drink your bottle. At least you were friendly. My little girl will hopefully follow your lead there."

"Even if she gives you any trouble, you literally have the help of the village." He was pretty sure that once Kurenai gives birth then there would be some sort of celebration in the village. Kurenai was a well known and respected kunoichi all around the village so the birth of her child, who was also happened to be a descendant of the Third Hokage, was bound to be something worth celebrating.

"Shirking your responsibilities already." Looks like Kurenai was back to herself now. She challenged the young Nara who quickly regained his composure.

"You're going to be living here for a while after you give birth so there is no running away from my responsibilities no matter what." He gave her a lazy smile and she immediately responded with a gracious one of her own.

"I'll hold you to that. I'm going to lie down a bit before dinner so you should go get ready for work as well." Kurenai instructed him but a wave of worry suddenly washed over him.

"Is everything okay?" A list of problems began forming in his head but that sorely outweighed the list of solutions that he could come up with. He hoped that it wasn't anything serious.

"Relax Shikamaru. I'm just tired and your girlfriend did say that I needed to rest in this last month. Between you and Asuma's little demon inside me, you guys are tiring." Kurenai turned around and immediately began making her way back down the passage.

"Asuma's little demon." Shikamaru sighed as he put the picture back in its place. "Sounds troublesome."  
Shikamaru finished his journey to the study he often found his father in. It felt weird that he was the one that was probably going to be in here most of the time now. Looks like he was following in his father's foosteps. He set his work down on the classy wooden desk then exited the room and went up to his room. It was already late evening so he couldn't really take his time to wash him like he'd hope for. He was excited for the food if he was being honest. He didn't really have a home cooked meal from his mother since before he left for the Earth nation.

"Shikamaru, I'm coming in." Shikamaru heard a familiar female voice as he showered him.

"Sakura?" He asked as he turned the water off while the door opened and finally allowed the steam that built up in the room to escape.

"Yeah. How do you see anything with all this steam? It's dangerous you know." Yep, definitely the beautiful medic ninja in the bathroom with him right now.

"You didn't seem to be complaining about it this morning." Shikamaru smirked as he tied his towel around his waist then stepped out of the shower and stood in front of his pink haired lover. He took in what she was wearing and couldn't take his eyes off how beautiful she looked. She wore a plain pink dress that made her look as innocent as a flower despite the demonic nature she had when she was on the battlefield. She was just full of surprises.

"Staring is disrespectful idiot." Sakura folded her arms over her chest as she stared at the lazy ninja in front of her. Shikamaru immediately looked away but couldn't help feeling a bit embarrassed that he stared at her for as long as he did.

"Sorry about that." Shikamaru quickly apologized. "You look beautiful though."

"Thank you. You better dress up as well." She ordered him.

"Why do I have to dress up? It's my house." Shikamaru pointed out but Sakura's deathly stare said enough to convince him.  
"Fine." He reluctantly agreed.

"Great. I'm going to go help your mother in the kitchen so don't take too long." Sakura went closer to him then gave him a quick kiss before leaving the steamy bathroom.

"Such a drag." Shikamaru sighed as he exited the bathroom as well. He didn't think she would be here this early. Sakura told him that she needed to go discuss something with her parents and that she might be a little late so that's what he was hoping for rather than having her come early. This was definitely going to be a long night.  
He went to his room and then dried him before taking out clothes that would hopefully make him look decent and 'dressed up' enough for Sakura. Why was Sakura wearing a dress anyway? It's not like she needed to make a good impression on his mother or Kurenai. If anything, he was the one that should probably be putting in the effort there. He put on a formal black pants and wore a matching black shirt but he refused to wear a tie. It was uncomfortable and he was getting too hot right now since he stepped out of the shower. It was cold outside but he was at home so he could easily just come back up to his room to fetch a jacket later anyway. He tied up his hair then made his way down to the kitchen to see how it was going with Sakura and his mother.

"… under the bridge where found the lucky stick." Yoshino said as Shikamaru approached the kitchen. Sakura burst out laughing and Shikamaru immediately felt embarrassed. He had begged his mother to stop telling that shameful story from his very early childhood.

"I asked you not to tell that story anymore mom." Shikamaru lazily said while he leaned against the doorframe. Sakura and his mother were plating one of his favorite dishes, mackerel and kelp. His excitement for dinner definitely rose now.

"It's a beautiful story Shikamaru, nothing to be embarrassed about." His mother responded while Sakura turned to look at him with a playful smile on her face.

"Easy for you to say." He muttered under his breath so that no one could hear.

"Set the table while we finish up here." His mother instructed him. He immediately began setting the table the way his parents taught him, well mainly his father. Shikaku taught his son to set the table when he was young as a surprise for his mother on her birthday. Shikamaru did his best to remember everything his father told him but ultimately ended up doing it wrong. Yoshino appreciated the effort though and ended up helping him.

"Four places, are we expecting anyone?" Kurenai asked as she appeared by the dining table.

"Sakura is here. She's helping mom prepare dinner." Shikamaru mentally prepared himself for the onslaught of questions that Kurenai was bound to throw at him right now. She's been saying that he and Sakura should be together for weeks now so now that she was finally right she would probably have more than enough to say about them.

"Sakura hey? Looks like I was right." Kurenai was clearly not going to be humble about this.

"It's just dinner. It's not like I am going to propose to her or anything." Shikamaru stated. He wanted to draw the line now already so that Kurenai didn't overstep during their meal. She probably was still going to overstep no matter how many times Shikamaru drew the line.

"You're the one talking about marriage here, not me." Kurenai responded as she took a seat by the table.

"Tch… troublesome woman." Shikamaru's frustrated reply clearly amused Kurenai as she smiled and tried not to laugh.

"Foods ready." Yoshino announced as she and Sakura emerged from the kitchen and placed the food on table. This was one way to be welcomed home. Yoshino took the seat at the head of the table so Sakura took the seat next to her. Kurenai eyed him as he took the seat next to the pink haired kunoichi but he knew that she was just trying to make him nervous.  
"Let's eat." His mother permitted them.

"Shikamaru, how was your meeting with the Daimyo?" Kurenai asked him as they began dishing their food.

"It was interesting. He's not what I expected actually." Shikamaru honestly answered as Sakura took the salad bowl and began dishing more salad onto his plate. He knew that arguing with her was going to be pointless especially with Kurenai and his mother to back her up right now. He was seriously outnumbered.

"What did he want? Why did he want to meet with you?" Yoshino asked this time while they began eating.

"He just wanted to meet me basically. I got the feeling from him and a lot of people actually that dad was going to retire from his positions after the war and probably hoping that I step into them." This time it was his turn to indirectly question his mother and Kurenai.

"He did mention it to me. He loved his work though so I didn't know how serious he was but he definitely believed that you were capable of filling his shoes." Yoshino casually answered him.

"I told you that he met with Lady Tsunade before the war to discuss it." Kurenai reminded him.

"The Daimyo wasn't exactly happy to hear that I didn't want to be the Jounin Commander though." Shikamaru told them.

"Are you going to be meeting with him again?" Kurenai asked.

"I am one of the Hokage's advisor's and the head of my clan so I'm bound to meet with him in the future again." Shikamaru replied. "And he ordered me to take over dad's position on his council."

"You're on the Daimyo's council?" The surprise in Sakura's voice was justified. Shikamaru hadn't told anyone about it until now actually. The Daimyo probably informed Kakashi about it already but he didn't think anyone else would know.

"Yeah. He said that my father believed that it was time for me to lead. With everything that happened, I guess that I forgot to mention that." He scratched the back of his head as he had a nervous smile on his face while all 3 women stared at him in disbelief.

"How do you forget something that important?" Sakura asked him.

"Well right after that I proposed the Shinobi Union which I am also leading." The lazy ninja defended himself.

"What is a 'Shinobi Union' and why are you leading it?" Yoshino asked her son.

"It's basically like a continuation of the Allied Shinobi Force but instead of forming it for war, I proposed that it was there to stop a war before it came to that. This way all 5 great nations work together and are informed of what is happening and we can take down larger groups of criminals from every nation easier and quicker. I suggested that I be the temporary leader since there is a criminal organization out there that's targeting the Sage of Six Paths' Tools. Once that is finished then I am planning on stepping down and allowing the Kage to elect a proper leader." Shikamaru explained. Yoshino and Kurenai immediately looked at each other and smiled as they shared a light laugh.  
"What's the laughter about?" Shikamaru quizzically asked them. He turned to Sakura but she didn't look like she knew what was going on either.

"Your father was thrust into leadership positions just as quickly as you are being." Kurenai answered him as she continued chuckling.

"Like father like son I suppose." Yoshino added. Shikamaru surprisingly didn't feel pressured by those words anymore. It's like he didn't care about being compared to his father. Shikaku created a proud and prestigious legacy but Shikamaru was planning on creating one of his own so he didn't care about what other people said anymore.  
"You're going to have your hands full trying to look after him now." His mother told Sakura who then turned to him.

"He's always been a handful but he's surprisingly worth it." Shikamaru had to force himself not to grab Sakura right now and kiss her as passionately as he could. She said those words so easily yet so sincerely. She really believed in him and their relationship.

"So what are you guys now?" Kurenai's words nearly made Shikamaru choke on the piece of fish he was swallowing. Why did she have to throw a spanner in the works right now? Everything was going great until she said those words.

"I don't know." Shikamaru nervously answered her. "Sakura has agreed to go on a date with me so I guess we're dating."

"You guys have known each other for so long than you can just skip the dating phase and just get married you know." Kurenai casually stated causing Sakura to nearly choke on her food this time.

"We're not there yet. We haven't even gone on a date yet." Shikamaru replied as he turned to Sakura but she looked just as nervous as he was feeling. What was his mother and Kurenai doing by putting them under pressure like this?

"The elders were talking about you getting married soon." Yoshino informed her son.

"Sakura and I will get married when we get married so they shouldn't rush it." Shikamaru exploded. The older women looked at each other then began laughing again. They were clearly enjoying this. He turned to look at Sakura again but she was hurriedly stuffing her mouth with as much food as possible so that she wasn't able to say anything that would embarrass herself like Shikamaru was right now.

"That's good to know Shikamaru." Yoshino replied as amusement plagued her face while he sighed.

"Troublesome women."

 **THAT'S IT I GUESS. I'LL TRY MY BEST TO GET THE NEXT CHAPTER READY BUT I DON'T KNOW WHEN THAT WILL BE. I HOPE THIS CHAPTER WAS WORTH THE WAIT BUT IF IT WASN'T THEN YOU ARE MORE THAN WELCOMED TO HATE ME IN THE REVIEWS OR SEND ME SOME HATEMAIL. I DEFINITELY DESERVE IT BUT DON'T BE TOO HARSH ON ME BECAUSE I AM JUST ANOTHER STUPID GUY. UNTIL NEXT TIME GUYS AND GIRLS, SEE YA.**


	23. Chapter 23

**I'M BACK AGAIN SURPRISINGLY. LOOKS LIKE I'M POSTING 2 CHAPTERS AFTER EACH OTHER IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME, I'M IMPRESSED. I HOPE YOU GUYS AND GIRLS FORGIVE ME FOR THE LONG BREAK NOW BUT I'LL TRY TO UPDATE MORE REGULARLY NOW. I APOLOGISE FOR THE MISTAKES AND GRAMMAR AS USUAL, THE BREAK MIGHT'VE WORSENED IT FOR ME.**

 **HAPPY READING**

"So we're getting married now, isn't that a little presumptuous Shikamaru?" Sakura told the shadow user opposite her after the extremely awkward dinner ended. Shikamaru and Sakura offered to clean up since they wanted to do anything except be in the presence of the older kunoichi after dinner. Kurenai said that she was going to bed and so did his mother so the 2 younger ninja found themselves sitting on the carpet of lounge that was only lit by the fire erupting from the fireplace.

"It was just a slip of the tongue." Shikamaru replied as he moved a piece on the shogi board between them. He glad that he and Sakura could finally be alone now without his mother or Kurenai interrupting them hopefully. After dinner ended, there were definitely a few things that they needed to discuss together.  
"At least we got their approval." Shikamaru tried to point out a silver lining but the concentration of Sakura's face didn't change. She was doing her best to try and keep up with the seasoned shogi player opposite her right now.

"I don't think we're allowed to date anyone except each other now as well." She meant that as a joke but he was sure that if his mother and Kurenai had their way, Shikamaru and Sakura would be getting married tomorrow.

"What about your parents? Did you tell them about us?" He challenged her as she made her move on the board.

"It slipped out but they were surprisingly okay with it. My mom made me wear this stupid dress as well so that I could hopefully impress your mother." Now it made sense why she had a dress on.

"Looks like we got our families' approvals. I'll still ask your dad for permission I guess. My mother would kill me if I didn't." That got a chuckle out of her while he made his move and took one of her pieces off the board.

"Dammit Shikamaru, go easy on me." Sakura complained then lightly hit his arm.

"If I go easy on you then how are you going to learn?" He gave her a smirk as she thought about something.

"Teach me then. I never had someone teach me how to play this game properly so teach me." Not what Shikamaru was expecting her to say but she wouldn't be the first girl he taught how to play this game. He taught Ino when they were younger, well at least tried to teach her but she didn't care. He taught Temari when they were dating and she paid more attention but she still couldn't win him. She got frustrated most of the time and ended up trying to physically take him down which she managed to do successfully a couple of times before they ended up making it up to each other in bed after that. Hopefully things would be easier with Sakura now.

"Fine." He agreed. She immediately stood up then made her way over to him and parted his legs.  
"What are you doing?" She ignored his question and just continued what she was doing then sat down between his legs and rested her body against his. She made herself comfortable as his legs propped up on either side of her.

"Now you can teach me properly." Sakura happily stated as she turned to face him. Their heads were right next to each other's and their breaths danced on their lips immediately drawing them in closer to each other. They slowly but passionately engaged their lips in a battle that neither one of them wanted to end. The mood was really quite perfect if he thought about it. The temperature in the room was not too hot and not too cold; perfectly comfortable. There was enough light to see every beautiful feature of her angelic face. The only sounds that were audible enough were the crackling and sizzling of the fire a couple of feet away from them. It was just perfect, she was just perfect.

"I like this lesson already." Shikamaru breathlessly told her as their foreheads rested against each other.

"Well teach me how to defeat you then I can get my reward."

"You'll never be able to defeat me in shogi."

"Someone's a little cocky." Sakura shot back as she smiled.

"I can back it up." She immediately separated from him as she leaned against his right shoulder and faced the small wooden shogi board they were playing on. He reluctantly turned to face the board as well as he thought of what to teach her.  
"Well you know how every piece moves so I guess you just need to learn when to move them and how to use them." Shikamaru concluded.

"Teach me one of your moves then." Sakura told him. He looked at the board then saw the perfect move to teach her that he used to frustrate his father and Asuma with.

"Okay. Look how the pieces are positioned on the board right now. They're all relatively in defensive positions since we were both starting out. One of the moves I loved using against my father and Asuma that made them want to kill me was to use the king to attack." Shikamaru explained. Sakura immediately turned to him with confusion written all over her face.

"I thought the aim of the game was to protect your king and not let it get captured."

"It is but that doesn't mean that the king can't attack as well. It's an extremely risky move but if you use it properly then you can take down even the most seasoned shogi players."

"Have you won your father using that move?" Sakura questioned him.

"I never won my father no matter what move I used." Shikamaru admitted but he wasn't disappointed in that fact. He was actually glad that he couldn't win his father at shogi because it always reminded that no matter how perfect your plan was, there was always a way that it could be ruined.  
"I did win a competition when I younger using this move though and I took down Asuma using it." He informed her.

"Okay. Show me how it's done then." Sakura gave her approval. Shikamaru immediately brought his hands in front of her activated his Shadow Stitching ability and used it to begin moving the pieces.  
"You can't be that lazy."

"I can't reach the board like this." Shikamaru pointed out but Sakura had a triumphant smile on her face for some reason.

"You shouldn't willingly show your clan's hand signs." Sakura warned him as well.

"It's not like I am showing it to just anyone. I trust you and it's not like it's the first time you've seen it." Shikamaru was right there. Hell, Sakura had helped him practice his ninjutsu once so she had definitely seen the way he activated the shadow manipulation abilities.  
"Focus on the way the pieces are being moved now as well." Shikamaru instructed her. They kept quiet as Shikamaru used his shadows to continue the battle on the board. He slowly moved the pieces so that she could see what he was doing and hopefully understand why he moved each piece the way he did. It took a couple of minutes but eventually the battle ended but Sakura turned to Shikamaru with the familiar confused look on her face.

"I'm still confused." Sakura admitted causing Shikamaru to let out a sigh.

"I used my king and brought him to the front lines and he led the attack. I always made sure that there was at least one of my pieces around the king to make sure that he was protected. Usually the other player would look to take down my king quickly and easily then since he was out of his 'safe zone'. Once the other player is distracted, I can use my other pieces and counter attack while moving them into position so that I can take his king instead." Shikamaru explained as simply as he could but he could see that Sakura was hardly paying attention so she clearly didn't care about his explanation.

"So if I distract the king like this." Sakura said then immediately planted her lips on his while her hands travelled up to his hair and undid his hair tie then allowed his hair to slowly fall down.  
"Then I can take him down like this." Sakura continued as she slowly turned her body then gently pushed him down as her mouth latched on to his again. He quickly caught on to what she was doing and he enjoyed. She was definitely playful but two can play the game.

"You have to be careful of his counter attack though." Shikamaru warned then easily rolled them over. Sakura now found herself at the bottom of him while he rested above her smiled at her. She returned his smile then moved his hair out of his face before wrapping her arms around his neck and bringing him closer to her for a kiss again. The two ninja happily made out without a care in the world on the carpet of the lounge they found themselves in. They enjoyed each other no matter what anyone else thought about them or their relationship.  
Suddenly a loud thud interrupted them so they reluctantly separated from each other and looked around.

"What was that?" Sakura asked the question that was plaguing their minds right now. Both ninja scanned the room but didn't see anything unusual.

"Kurenai." Shikamaru said then quickly stood up and raced to the older kunoichi's room. He hoped and prayed that whatever that sound was didn't come from her room. He immediately opened the door as Sakura joined his side. They looked around the room then saw Kurenai lying helplessly on her side on the floor at the foot of her bed.  
"Kurenai, can you hear me?" Shikamaru instinctively asked as he reached her then rolled her onto her back.

"She's unconscious and her pulse is weak. We need to get her to the hospital because this is dangerous for her and her baby." Sakura informed him as she checked Kurenai's body. Worry and panic instantly took over the lazy ninja's head. He took in the sight before him but he didn't know what to do. He wasn't a medic ninja so he didn't know if it was safe to carry Kurenai right now or even move her.  
"Shikamaru snap out of it!" Sakura ordered him.

"What happened?" Yoshino asked as she appeared in the room.

"I think Kurenai might've had a mild heart attack." Sakura's words sent Shikamaru's mind into chaos now. He felt useless, he felt like a failure. What could he do? How could he help?

"Shikamaru, listen to me." Yoshino held her son's face in her hands so that he could face her. "I know you're worried right now but Kurenai and her child need you. Go to the hospital and tell Shizune about what happened and tell her to get an operating room ready. Can you do that for us?" He couldn't find the words to speak but he nervously shook his head then stood up and quickly sprinted out of the room. He jumped up onto a house as quickly as he possibly could then made his way to the hospital going faster than he ever did before. His heart and mind were racing in his body and he found it difficult to focus on his task of getting to the hospital right now but he eventually did after a few minutes.

"Shikamaru, slow down." Shizune instructed him once she saw him enter the hospital.

"Kurenai had a heart attack." Shikamaru quickly informed the medic ninja who immediately looked focused before she turned around.

"Prepare the operating room and prepare for an emergency birth." Shizune instructed a couple of nurses before she disappeared in a cloud of smoke like a clone. Shikamaru was left standing helplessly in the hospital hallway. He tried to come up with a plan of what to do next but his mind was a complete mess. He couldn't think properly let alone come up with a plan.

"Nara-sama." A voice called him. Shikamaru turned around and saw a member of his clan and well respected shinobi standing behind him.  
"Your mother sent me to make sure you're okay." He informed him.

"Where is Kurenai?" Shikamaru quickly asked him.

"Operating room 3. Your mother and Sakura are on their way."

"Thank you." He was surprised by how well he was able to speak right now despite his head exploding with thoughts of panic. He found himself immobilized by fear. He just felt stuck. It just didn't feel right.

"Shikamaru." His mother's voice appeared. He looked up and saw her hurriedly enter the building alongside Sakura.

"I'm going to get ready." Sakura informed Yoshino then took off down a hallway. The ninja next to Shikamaru gave his mother a bow before leaving the hospital as well.

"It's going to be okay Shikamaru." His mother tried to console him as she hooked her arm around his then began dragging him with her.

"I can't lose them as well." Shikamaru finally said causing his mother to stop then grab his shoulders.

"Look at me." Yoshino ordered her son. He lifted his head and turned his teary eyes to his mother's. "You're not going to lose them. Kurenai and her little girl are going to get through this no matter what so you need to pull yourself together and get ready to take care of that little girl while Kurenai is recovering just like Asuma wanted you to." His mother's stern words immediately focused him and gave him a purpose again. A tear finally rolled down his cheek but he quickly wiped it away.

"Okay." He agreed with his mother.

"Mrs Yoshino." Temari called his mother as the Suna-nin approached the mother and son.

"Temari, it's nice to see you again." Yoshino gave the younger kunoichi a smile. Shikamaru didn't understand how his mother could be so calm about this whole situation right now. How could she be holding it all together and still smile?

"What happened?" Temari's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Kurenai had a heart attack. They're operating on her now." Yoshino informed her. Temari's expression immediately softened at the news. This situation probably reminded her of her mother's death shortly after she gave birth to Gaara.

"I'll wait with you guys." Temari offered and Yoshino gratefully accepted. She grabbed her son's hand then continued on their journey down the hallways. Shikamaru had been in this hospital so much times that he knew the layout out of his head but right now it looked like a strange place to him. He looked lost and out of place as he trudged down the hallways with the 2 kunoichi. They finally stopped outside the operating room and Sakura immediately appeared behind them in her medical attire.

"Shikamaru, everything is going to be okay. I'm going to make sure that Kurenai and her baby are okay. I will do everything I can and I won't stop until they're perfectly safe and healthy." Sakura assured him then gave him a quick kiss before entering the room. Somehow her words lifted his spirits a little. His mind raced with possibilities again while he heard his mother and Temari begin talking. He never wanted to deal with the wind user or her family ever again but he was grateful that she was there.

"Hey, are you okay?" He turned to his left then saw his blonde teammate standing next to him. Her mother walked past him and gave him a sympathetic smile before settling herself down next to his mother.

"Yeah." Shikamaru answered her as he cleared his throat. He probably looked like the walking dead right now but there was one thing he could focus on right now, making sure that Kurenai and her child received the best treatment possible so that they can both be healthy and alive.

"What happened? Someone from your clan just said that Kurenai was in the hospital and that we should come quickly." Ino informed him.

"We heard Kurenai fall so Sakura and I went to go see what happened and we found her lying on the ground. Sakura said that it might be a mild heart attack." Anger rose inside him as he spoke. He was angry at himself for not paying enough attention to Kurenai but instead spend his time making out with Sakura. He was angry that he couldn't protect her and her baby. He was angry at the heart attack as well even if it was stupid to do so. His worry and panic had just turned into anger.

"If Sakura is in there with Kurenai and her baby then everything will be okay." Ino definitely believed in her best friend even if it only took times like these to show it. I guess in times of trouble everyone forgot their past with each other and just focused on making sure that they can see tomorrow together.

"I hope so. I can't lose them as well." Shikamaru said again. Those words kept playing over and over in his head. He just couldn't lose Kurenai and her child, not right now. They needed to be safe and they needed to be alive. He already last his father, his sensei and his friend so he couldn't lose anyone else. He was afraid that he wouldn't be able to move on if he lost any more people.

"They're going to be alright." Ino told him as she grabbed his hand in her own to try and comfort him.  
"Can you imagine how panicked Asuma would've been right now?" Ino was probably trying to get his mind off things. He appreciated the effort but he didn't think it would work.

"He would've been pacing the halls right now." Shikamaru had to agree as Ino released a short laugh.

"Our fathers would've been trying to calm him down, probably even by using their ninjutsu on him. Choza would be standing close to them and giving Asuma his best smile. What is up with the Akimichi men and their smiling? You would swear that they're caught in the happiest genjutsu ever created." Just like Ino, he'd wondered why they smile so much as well but they were just generally happy people. That's the only reasonable conclusion that he could come up with anyway.

"Choji doesn't smile a lot." Shikamaru pointed out.

"Compared to you he's a ray of sunshine." That finally made the lazy ninja smile.

"Here comes your 'ray of sunshine' and his smiling family right now." Shikamaru looked down the hallway and saw the Akimichi family making their way towards them.

"By the way, why is Temari here?" Ino asked as she looked past him at the Suna-nin speaking to the two mothers.

"I don't know. She saw us in the hallway and joined us. She and Kurenai did kind of have a good relationship while we were still dating." He remember having tea with Asuma and Kurenai one afternoon while he and Temari were still dating. The two female kunoichi seemed to get along perfectly so it was only natural that Temari would want to make sure that Kurenai was okay.

"Okay. How was your mission?" She really was doing her best to get his mind off this whole situation right now.

"Hey guys." Choji's less than friendly greeting sounded weird. It always sounded weird when he wasn't happy. It just wasn't… Choji.

"Hey Cho." Shikamaru returned his greeting as Ino grabbed his hand as well.

"Is Kurenai okay?" Choji innocently asked.

"They operating on her still. We don't know yet." Ino answered him. "So how was your mission?" Ino asked Shikamaru again.

"It was okay I guess. The Daimyo is making me take over my father's seat on his council but I don't have to become the Jounin Commander. I'm the temporary leader of the Shinobi Union as well." Shikamaru casually informed his best friends. They were more like family though if we was being honest.

"That's a lot of responsibility Shikamaru." Choji commented. He had to agree with his chubby friend there but there was nothing he could do about it there. He just had to do what he was tasked with doing.

"Wait, what is the Shinobi Union?" Ino asked him.

"It's like the Allied Shinobi Forces but this time there we're stopping the war before it starts." Shikamaru explained.

"Oh, can I join?" Ino surprisingly volunteered. He wondered what the reason for that was. Did she just want a reason to get out of the village?

"After everything has settled down and all threats have been neutralized or contained then we'll pick more permanent members from each village. You could probably apply for a position then." Shikamaru replied.

"What threats are there?" Choji asked him.

"It's not my place to say yet. Kakashi will probably address all the shinobi in the village tomorrow about the Shinobi Union so he'll give all the information then." Shikamaru didn't know if he should tell them about what Sasuke did or about the unknown enemy targeting the Sage's Tools. They had enough to worry about right now as it was without adding another threat to their minds to worry about.

"I'm pretty sure you won't leave Kurenai's side until she leaves this hospital and neither will we." Ino was definitely going to be stubborn there but he grateful for her support right now and he was sure that Choji was going to do the same.

"Shikamaru." Hinata's voice suddenly grabbed their attention. They turned to the hallway to see Hinata hurriedly approaching them while Shino slowly followed behind her. Looks like word about Kurenai's situation was getting around the village very quickly even at this time of night. He was pretty sure that he was going to have to start getting his story straight about what happened to Kurenai so that he could inform any other concerned parties. He needed to get himself together even if it was a façade. His mother seemed to be doing a great job of it so he should be able to as well.

 **I GUESS THAT IS IT FOR THIS CHAPTER. STARTED OFF KINDA CUTE THEN SH!T HIT THE FAN. I REALLY HOPE THAT KURENAI AND HER CHILD ARE OKAY THOUGH. WHY THE F*** WOULD THIS STUPID AUTHOR RUIN SUCH A CUTE CHAPTER LIKE THIS?! HE BETTER MAKE IT UP TO US IN THE NEXT ONE SO UNTIL NEXT TIME GUYS AND GIRLS, SEE YA…**


	24. Chapter 24

**HEY GUYS AND GIRLS. SO HERE'S ANOTHER CHAPTER THAT I KIND OF RUSHED BECAUSE I REALLY WANT TO TRY AND FINISH THIS STORY FOR EVERYONE THAT'S BEEN WANTING TO KNOW HOW IT TURNS OUT AND I WANT TO KNOW HOW IT TURNS OUT AS WELL IF I AM BEING HONEST. I'M SORRY AGAIN FOR ALL THE MISTAKES AND ERRORS.**

 **HAPPY READING**

"Where's Kiba?" Ino suddenly asked the group as they stood in the hallway outside the operating room. Nearly 2 hours had passed and there was still no news about Kurenai or her child.

"He and his sister were sent out on a mission." Shino informed the group. The insect master definitely knew more about the village than anyone else probably did. He probably knew more than the Hokage did at times.

"Both of them on the same mission?" Shikamaru critically asked.

"Yes." Shino confirmed.

"Is something wrong?" Choji asked his best friend. Thoughts raced through Shikamaru's mind as to why Kakashi would send both Inuzuka's out on the same mission but only one reason made sense.

"Do you know who they're tracking?" Shikamaru asked Shino.

"No. They headed East."

"How long ago?"

"3 hours." That must mean that they're still inside the borders of the Fire Nation. They couldn't have gone too far yet and they're travelling at night so they're definitely going to be moving slower to be extra cautious. Whoever they were tracking had to be extremely important especially if it required 2 of the best trackers in the village to head out at night.

"Can you two idiots please explain what's going on?" Ino stared at Shikamaru and Shino waiting for one of them to answer. Shino didn't look like he was going to answer, well his expression was still as blank as ever.

"Kiba and his sister went on a mission 3 hours ago and headed East in order to track somebody or a group of people." Shikamaru informed his blonde friend.

"What are you not telling us?" Ino asked them.

"That's as much information as we know Ino. Now you know what we know." At least now she knew what Shikamaru knew. He was pretty sure that Shino had a lot more information stored up in his head that could be used to possibly find out who exactly the Inuzuka's were tracking.

"Oh crap, we didn't get a present for Kurenai yet." Ino suddenly remembered. That slipped his mind as well but the expression on Ino's made it seem like it was a fatal mistake.

"Actually, my mother and I went to the Sarutobi compound yesterday on our way home to ask Konohamaru if there was anything that we could give to Kurenai as a present. Hinata was there practicing with him so she helped us." Choji informed the group. Everyone's attention quickly turned to the shy Hyuga who immediately looked alarmed.

"We found a b-box of Asuma's old things f-from when he was still a g-genin." Hinata stuttered. Looks like her stutter only appeared when she was nervous now. At least she grew out of it, even if it only lessened.

"That's great. There has to be something inside there that we can give as a gift to Kurenai." Ino stated.

"Why don't we just give her the entire box? It is Asuma's things so she should have it. Maybe her child could use some of it just like Asuma did." The lazy ninja suggested. He definitely earned that title with replies like that.

"We first need to see what's in the box." That was a good plan by Ino. At least she was finally using her head.

"Konohamaru also said that if Kurenai and her child needs a place to stay then they can move into the Sarutobi compound." Choji informed them.

"The compound is more than big enough for the 3 of them." Shikamaru concluded. The Sarutobi compound was a little bigger than the Nara's and much more peaceful since there was hardly anyone living there now. The only person that had a permanent residence in the compound was Konohamaru but he was getting more and more missions that required him to leave the village so the place was basically empty.

"Closer to this hospital as well." Shino added. He was clearly seeing the same practicality the Nara was seeing.

"We first have to ask Kurenai-sensei." Hinata softly pointed out. Obviously it was Kurenai's choice but she did say that she was looking for a place that was big enough for her and her daughter and what better place than the Sarutobi compound?

"She'll say yes. We need to start getting that place ready for them. We need to renovate that whole place. It's a little too dull." Ino was definitely getting ahead of herself. She was probably going to turn this into an activity that Shikamaru and Choji wasn't going to enjoy.

"Like Hinata said, we first need to ask her." Shikamaru stated as he heard footsteps quickly approaching them. He looked down the hallway to see who the footsteps belonged to then saw the former Hokage, Lady Tsunade, swiftly approaching them.

"Lady Tsunade." They greeted her with a bow.

"It's too late to be bowing." Lady Tsunade casually replied before entering the operating room. She was nothing if not unusual so her reply was as normal as they were going to get.

"What's Lady Tsunade doing here?" Choji asked them but Shikamaru immediately became worried again. Lady Tsunade was the most experienced and one of the best medic ninjas in history, let alone Shizune and Sakura's teacher so if she was here then this must've been serious. Something bad must've happened if she was here.

"She's a doctor idiot." Ino answered the Akimichi.

"Shikamaru." He heard Temari's voice then found her standing in front of him. "Kurenai and her child are fine. Lady Tsunade is probably here just to do a check up and see how everything is going. They're going to be fine." Temari definitely read his mind. She knew him like the back of her hand even if they hadn't spent any time together recently.

"Yeah Shikamaru, everything is going to be fine." Ino added but he heard the concern in her voice now as well. Suddenly the doors to the operating room opened and time seemed to slow down. Everything around them seemed to slow down as they waited for whoever it was to step outside the room.  
Shizune stepped out of the room but what immediately grabbed his attention was the blankets in her arms. The blankets that was perfectly wrapped around a crying baby. The blankets wrapped around Asuma and Kurenai's baby girl.

"Shikamaru." Shizune called him over and he automatically found himself walking towards her. It was as if someone was controlling his shadow and making him do whatever they wanted him to do and right now they were leading him towards the medic ninja holding the baby girl in her arms.  
"Meet Kurenai's little girl." Shizune carefully handed over the crying baby to Shikamaru who gently held her in his arms. He looked down at the new born who slowly began quieting. Shikamaru seldom enjoyed babies or being in the company of their cries but something about the young life in his hands seemed to spark a desire inside him to be apart of her life every step of the way. A tear escaped his eyes and splashed down on her soft cheek but she had a cute smile on her face. She was definitely going to be a troublesome little girl.

"Asuma's little demon." Shikamaru repeated Kurenai's words as a smile plagued his face. He immediately looked up at Shizune as Yoshino appeared next to her son to look at the baby in his arms.  
"How's Kurenai doing?" Shikamaru quickly asked her.

"She's not doing too good to be honest. This pregnancy put a lot of strain on her heart so we had to deliver her child but Sakura is doing her best. If anyone can help Kurenai then it's Sakura." Shizune stated as she rested against the wall. Shikamaru's heart immediately felt like it was sinking as he took in Shizune's words. Kurenai needed to be okay. She needed to wake up and see her daughter's beautiful face. She couldn't give up, not now. Her daughter needed her.

"Give her to me before you drop her." Yoshino instructed her son as she slowly took the child.

"Her little girl had some complications. When we delivered her, she wasn't breathing and her heart was a little weak but I managed to take care of her. She's okay for now but I want to keep her here to make sure that she's okay." Shizune informed them.

"Thank you Shizune." Yoshino sincerely told her. Suddenly the doors to the operating room opened again but this time Sakura came rushing out of the room. She nearly raced past them without so much as acknowledging their presence.

"Sakura." Shikamaru called her name as he tried grabbing her arm but he was a little too late. A million questions seemed to race through his mind all at once. What was she doing out of the operating room? Where was she going? Was Kurenai okay? What the hell was going on?  
She made her way past them so he quickly took after her. If she was Kurenai's best hope then why was she leaving? What was happening? She turned a corner so he followed her then grabbed her hand when he finally caught up to her.  
"What's going on Sakura?" He quickly asked her as she turned to face him.

"I need to go." He could see the focus in her eyes so whatever she had to do was important.

"Where are you going? What about Kurenai?"

"Shikamaru, let me go. There's just something I need to go do."

"You said that you wouldn't leave Kurenai's side until she was okay. Is she okay?" A sudden flash of sadness appeared on her face then quickly disappeared again. Was Kurenai dying? Is that what she was running away from?

"I'm sorry Shikamaru but this is more important." Sakura replied then managed to release his grip on her hand and began walking away again.

"What's more important than saving Kurenai? You said you would take care of her. Sakura talk to me." Shikamaru walked after her but she refused to stop and listen to him.  
"Sakura, please don't do this. Don't walk away right now." Shikamaru hated begging but right now he would sell his soul if it meant that Kurenai would survive. He'd do anything to ensure that Kurenai would get better and get out of here so that she could take care of her child.

"I'm sorry Shikamaru." Sakura apologized again as she turned to him with tears running down her cheeks. He stopped walking after her and just let her walk away as he stared at her face. A wave of emotions came crashing down on him as she looked ahead of her and disappeared from his vision. What the hell was going on? What was happening right now? He needed answers and he needed it now.  
He quickly raced back to the operating room where Kurenai was but he found his mother, Choji's mother and Ino's mother making their way down the hallway along with Shizune carrying Kurenai's child.

"We're going to take her to the nursery so that we can keep a closer eye on her. Lady Tsunade took over for Sakura and is working on Kurenai now. They're both in safe hands." Shizune informed him.

"It's going to be okay Shikamaru." His mother added as she gave him a quick kiss on his forehead then made their way past him. He trusted them to look after Kurenai's baby so he continued on his way to the hallway outside the operating room. He saw that Hinata, Temari, Ino, Choji and Choza were still in the hallway.

"Where'd Shino go?" Shikamaru asked them. Despite the wealth of emotions raging inside him, the biggest one driving him right now was anger. What the hell could be more important for Sakura than saving someone's life and not just a random person but Kurenai? Why would she leave when Kurenai wasn't even stable yet? He had a feeling that whatever her answers would be was going to make him even more angrier.

"He didn't say. Getting anything out of him is a mission on its own." Ino answered him. He was surprised that she was still here right now and not with their mothers looking after Kurenai's child.

"Girls, can I ask you to hold down the fort here?" Choza suddenly asked them.

"Yes sir." Ino formally responded. Despite Choza being like another father to her and Shikamaru, they still felt the need to be formal and respectful towards the older Akimichi all the time.

"Choji, Shikamaru; follow me." He instructed the best friends.

"Mr. Akimichi, with all due respect, I would like to stay here." Shikamaru told him.

"Just come with me son. There's something I need you to see." Choza replied then lightly tapped him on his shoulder and began walking ahead of him. He looked at Choji for answers but his chubby friend just shrugged and began following his father. Shikamaru fought the urge to stay there but reluctantly followed his best friend. If anything, this would help get his mind off everything for a moment.  
He followed the two Akimichi's then found himself walking up the stairs of the hospital until they reached the roof. The cold wind rushed past him as the cold air wrapped around him but that didn't bother him for a moment. There were missions he had gone on where he nearly froze. Choza led them to a concrete slab then sat down so the two younger ninja followed his lead and sat down next to him.

"What are we doing here dad?" Choji asked his father as Shikamaru leaned back and placed his weight on his arms so that he could look up at the star-filled night sky. It was different than the starless night sky in the Earth nation but he was really glad about that. This night sky reminded him that he was at home, it reminded him that he was safe.

"Just fulfilling a promise I made to Shikaku." Choza's words immediately grabbed the lazy ninja's attention. He turned his head to the older ninja who was also staring up at the night sky. What did his father have to do with this? What promise did Choza make? Why was everyone giving him such a lot of questions without giving him any answers?  
"Well I am a bit too early but this feels like the right time." Choza now turned his attention from the stars above him to the ninja beside him.

"What promise did you make?" Shikamaru nervously asked him. He really didn't know why he was nervous. Choza was like a father to him so whatever promise he made to Shikaku was bound to make him a better person right?

"Look around you, what do you see?" Choza instructed them ignoring Shikamaru's question but they did it anyway. He looked around and saw that he had a perfect view of the village from the roof of the hospital. It was past midnight so most people in the village were probably sleeping. The streets were calm and there was hardly any noise around them except for the occasional whistling of the wind making the poles rattle around them.

"It's peaceful." Shikamaru finally answered when he saw that Choji wasn't going to answer. Maybe Choji was allowing his father and Shikamaru to have a bonding moment.

"It is the time of peace that your father, Asuma, Neji and all the other fallen shinobi across the ninja realm had fought so hard for and had given their lives to create. It's the time of peace that we yearned for and fought so hard to achieve. Now it's up to us to protect it and ensure that the next generation also enjoy this time of peace and that starts now. Kurenai's child is here and she is not going to have a father but she is going to need great male role models to fill in that position so that's why it's time for both of you to step up. That little girl is not only Kurenai and Asuma's child but she is our child. It takes a village to raise a child but it takes parents and in this case, both of you to help Kurenai shape that little girl so that she can be the best she can be whatever she decides to do later in life." Choza's words ignited something in the young Nara. It finally occurred to him, it was up to him to help Kurenai raise her child. It was the last mission Asuma gave him and he was going to do his best not to disappoint him.  
"Your father made me promise him that I would make sure that you raise your child better than he raised you but he set the bar pretty high there. I know that Kurenai's little girl isn't your biological child but I'm going to make sure that you help Kurenai raise her little girl and if you need some advice or help then my door will always be open."

"Thank you for this Mr. Akimichi." Shikamaru sincerely thanked the older ninja as he sat up properly now and let the words think in. If that little girl was anything like Ino or Sakura then she was definitely going to be a handful.

"Have one." Choza handed his son a small red ball. Shikamaru knew most of the Akimichi's secret pills but this was one that he hadn't seen before. He knew everyone of Choji's pills that he always carried on him but that was because they were teammates. Shikaku and Choza were teammates so maybe he knew what these small red balls were but he couldn't really ask his father now.

"What are these?" Shikamaru asked as while Choji and Choza swallowed their ones.

"It's something to boost your energy. You look like you need it and with a baby to take care of, you're going to need a lot of it." Choza had a bit of a chuckle at that but it brought a smile to Shikamaru's face as well.

"Mrs. Akimichi always said that Choji was a happy baby while he grew up but how was really?" Shikamaru asked then swallowed the small ball that his best friend handed him. Hopefully talking to Choza about how his son grew up would give him a better idea of how to help Kurenai with her child.

"Can we please not talk about this?" Choji asked them as he looked a bit embarrassed but that just made Shikamaru want to know even more.

 **THAT'S IT FOR NOW. I HOPE I CAN POST ANOTHER CHAPTER BEFORE THE WEEK ENDS OR BY MONDAY FOR THE LATEST. I HOPE THAT I DIDN'T UPSET ANYONE AS USUAL. I'M SORRY IF I DID, IT'S NOT MY INTENTION. PLEASE DON'T HATE ME BECAUSE I AM JUST ANOTHER STUPID GUY. UNTIL NEXT TIME GUYS AND GIRLS, SEE YA…**


	25. Chapter 25

**OKAY, LOOKS LIKE I'M BACK BEFORE THE WEEKEND. HOPEFULLY I CAN BE THIS QUICK WITH MY OTHER CHAPTERS AS WELL. THANKS FOR ALL THE SUPPORT THAT I'VE BEEN GETTING GUYS AND GIRLS. I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU LIKE THIS STORY SO MUCH BECAUSE I LITERALLY WANT TO KILL THIS AUTHOR AND KILL THE CHARACTERS THEN KILL THE AUTHOR SOME MORE. CAN'T DENY THAT I AM ENJOYING ALL THE STUPID TURN OF EVENTS THAT'S BEEN HAPPENING AND CAN SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHAT THE ACTUAL F*** IS GOING ON WITH SAKURA? ANYWAY, SORRY FOR THE RANTING AND THE MISTAKES IN THIS CHAPTER.**

 **HAPPY READING**

A soft buzzing sound, almost silent. Quiet humming and footsteps slowly pacing around him. Where was he? He opened his eyes to a familiar light above his head. He slowly turned his head to look around. He saw that he was on a bed in the hospital but he wasn't alone in the room. There was another bed in the room that had Kurenai lying on it under the blankets. His mother was the one humming as she slowly pacing around the room while holding the new born baby in her arms.

"It's by time you woke up." Yoshino turned to her son then began walking towards him.

"What time is it?" Shikamaru slowly pushed himself up on the bed as he tried to remember what happened last night that might've led to him lying in the hospital.

"It's 6 in the evening. Choza brought you here last night once you passed out." Yes, he remembered talking to Choji and his father on the roof of the hospital last night. Choza had told him about the promise he made to his father then they began talking about Choji's childhood but everything else was a complete blank. He didn't feel tired last night so he shouldn't have passed out.  
"Before your brain begins overthinking everything, Choza gave you a sleeping pill last night which is why you fell asleep so easily and why you slept so long." That explained the unnatural sleeping pattern.

"He said it was something that would give me energy."

"It did, didn't it." He had to smile as his mother took a seat on the bed he was now sitting up on. Choza didn't lie about the pill giving him energy but he left out the part about it knocking him unconscious.

"How's Kurenai doing?" Shikamaru asked but looked at the baby sleeping in his mother's arms. She looked so peaceful as she slept. He definitely wanted to protect her so that she could sleep just as peaceful every other night.

"Lady Tsunade did everything she could but the rest is up to Kurenai. She is going to continue having a weak heart but she should be okay. Obviously she can't be a shinobi anymore but once she sees her little girl, I don't think she'll mind." Yoshino looked down at the little girl as well and smiled.  
"She reminds me of you when you were just born. You had just such a weird smile on your face while you slept."

"Is she okay?"

"Yes. We're feeding her regularly but we're just waiting for Kurenai to wake up so that she can breastfeed her properly. There's only so much nutrients you can get from milk that's been processed." He breathed a sigh of relief, both Kurenai and her child were finally safe and out of danger.

"Everything is too quiet right now. Where is everyone?" Shikamaru looked up at his mother who immediately looked conflicted as to whether she should answer that question or not. Something definitely happened while he was sleeping that she didn't want him to know yet.  
"You've never lied to me mom, don't start now." He gently rested against the wall behind him as he prepared himself to hear whatever it was that his mother didn't want to tell him.

"Kakashi called a meeting of all Chunin and higher ranked shinobi in the village." That explained the silence right now because he was sure that if Kakashi hadn't called that meeting then most of the ninja would be here celebrating the birth of Kurenai's child right now. Yoshino still looked like she was withholding more information though.

"What happened mom?" Shikamaru urged her on.

"Naruto and Sakura left the village and joined Sasuke. They've become criminals." Wait, what? Did he just hear his mother correctly right now? Why would Naruto and Sakura desert the village to join Sasuke? He knew that they shared a deep bond with the Uchiha but even they wouldn't desert the village to join him without a good reason. Naruto was an idiot most times but even he knew that deserting the village would ruin his chances of becoming the Hokage one day. What the hell was going on?

"When did this happen?"

"They left the village last night and joined Tenten, Lee, Kiba and his sister in tracking Sasuke." Shikamaru's anger immediately rose inside him now. Sasuke was probably the reason why Sakura had left the hospital. Sasuke was the person more important than Kurenai to her. That criminal was the person who she needed to go to rather than heal a dying woman who had just given birth.  
Another reason why he was angered was because he was the temporary leader of the Shinobi Union but leader nonetheless so he should've been informed immediately once any sighting of Sasuke was reported. Kakashi knew that one of the objectives of the Shinobi Union right now was to find Sasuke and retrieve the Shichiseiken that he stole from Kirigakure.

"I need to get to work then." Shikamaru said as he moved his legs over to the bed.

"Shikamaru wait." His mother instructed him before he stood up. He turned to her to face her looking for any valid reason to make him stay at the hospital right now and not go and try to figure everything out. Kurenai and her child were okay so he didn't have to worry about that anymore. His mother was in perfect health so he didn't need to take care of her. There was nothing stopping him right now.  
"Naruto and Sakura deserted the village for a reason. They're your friends, don't forget that." His mother warned him but he was way too angry to hear that right now.

"They're criminals, deserters and traitors that need to be taken down. I will see you later mom so take care of Kurenai and her little girl for me." Shikamaru instructed his mother then put his hands in his pockets and began making his way out of the room.  
He exited the hospital then immediately headed home. He needed to get the files he took from his office yesterday. He hoped he could work at home but everything he needed was at the Hokage Tower so it would be better if he worked from there. Thankfully no one stopped him on his way home so the meeting must've still been going on. He went to the study then gathered the files. He was about to leave the house but he turned back to take the small shogi board that he and Sakura were using before Kurenai had her accident. He decided to take the back roads to the Hokage Tower so that he could avoid being seen by anyone that might've been exiting down the main paths or the ones heading to the hospital. None of his friends lived in the direction he was coming from so he shouldn't have seen any of them. The only he had to worry about right now was if the meeting was going to be finished by the time he got to his destination.

"Shikamaru." Damn, looks like someone found him even before he reached the Hokage Tower. He turned around then saw Shino approaching him. Come to think of it, after Sakura ran out of the hospital then Shino disappeared as well and his mother didn't mention that he was part of the team that Naruto and Sakura joined so where did he run off to last night?

"Shino." Shikamaru gave him a friendly nod once the Aburame stood in front of him.

"Have you been informed of what happened?" Shino was being surprisingly formal. Kakashi probably told him and all the other shinobi about the Nara leading the Shinobi Union so that's why he was being so respectful and formal.

"I know enough." Shikamaru's bluntness wasn't because of the ninja in front of him but he couldn't help but feel angry right now.  
"Where did you go last night?" He questioned the insect user. Shino quickly turned his head to the side before turning back to Shikamaru.

"We should head to somewhere more secluded before we continue." Was someone spying on them right now or was Shino just being paranoid? He didn't care either way. He needed to know what Shino knew anyway and their combined intelligence was something he could definitely use right now.

"Let's go to my office." Shino nodded in agreement then fell in step with the lazy ninja. Thankfully Shino wasn't a man of many words so their journey was comfortably quiet. No one stopped them once they reached their destination so the meeting was probably over.

"Shikamaru." Shizune called his name before he and Shino reached his office. "Kakashi wants to talk to you." No surprise there.

"Shino, can you take my files and wait for me in my office please?" Shikamaru asked his fellow shinobi. Shino nodded in agreement then took the files from Shikamaru. Both ninja continued on their way but split paths once they came to their respective rooms.

"Hokage-sama, it's Shikamaru, may I come in?" Shikamaru asked before he opened the door. He didn't receive a response but the door immediately opened.

"Come in Shikamaru." Lady Tsunade permitted him. He entered the room and she immediately closed the door behind him then made her way next to the silver haired Hokage.

"You wanted to see me Hokage-sama." Shikamaru stated as he stood up straight in front of the Hokage. He did all that he could to try and contain the anger he was feeling towards the more seasoned shinobi in front of him.

"I'm sure by now you've heard about what happened last night." They weren't going to beat around the bush at least. They wanted to get straight down to business.

"I have." Shikamaru confirmed.

"You're the leader of the Shinobi Union so what are you planning on doing?" Kakashi asked him.

"I don't know yet. I've yet to hear everything that I need to. Once I have then I will inform you and the other Kage about how I would like to proceed." Shikamaru and Kakashi stared each other down but the young ninja refused to submit right now.

"I told you to get rid of your modesty Shikamaru. I didn't expect you to replace it with contempt." Lady Tsunade spoke to him now. He turned his attention to the kunoichi who had a critical look on her face.

"My apologies Lady Tsunade-sama." Shikamaru gave her a bow.

"What's going on Shikamaru?" Lady Tsunade asked him this time but she had a caring expression on her face this time. That didn't sway him in the least.

"I have work to do. Give me 24 hours. I'm going to need Choji, Ino, Hinata, Shino, Tenten, Lee, Sai, Kiba and Akamaru on standby as well." Shikamaru informed them.

"Only using ninja from your generation." Kakashi commented.

"I trust them." Shikamaru eyed the Hokage. "Excuse me." He gave them a bow then dismissed himself from the room. He immediately went over to his office then locked the door behind him.  
"Let's begin Shino. We have 24 hours to figure out what the hell is going on and how we are going to stop this."

"Are you sure about this Shikamaru?" Shino asked Shikamaru as they sat in his office while still planning. Shino was being uncharacteristically caring but the lazy ninja had learnt so much from the Aburame and so much about him during their planning that he saw Shino in a different light. Besides being one of the most intelligent shinobi he knew, Shino was genuinely a nice guy.

"It's the best shot we have. As long as everyone does their part then there should be no setbacks." Shikamaru stated as he finally rested in his seat on the couch and let his mind play through all the scenarios in his head. One thing he was certain though, he was tired.

"You do realize the risks." That was one thing he never forgot. No matter how carefully he planned, Shikamaru could never get rid of all the risks completely. Risks are what drove most of his decisions anyway.

"Yeah but it's what needs to be done." Shikamaru confirmed. He sighed then reluctantly removed himself from the comfortable couch. He stretched his tired body as Shino gracefully stood up.  
"I'm going to go tell Kakashi the plan and he'll probably call everyone so that I can explain the mission. You know what to do?"

"Yes." A simple but necessary answer. Why couldn't everyone be like Shino? He didn't waste energy saying other useless pieces of information. He was blunt and straightforward.  
They gave each other a respectful nod then left the room. Shino disappeared down the hallway while Shikamaru politely knocked on the Hokage's door.

"Come in." He heard Kakashi's reply. He silently entered the room then closed the door behind him as before standing in front of the Hokage who sat behind his desk and eyed the young ninja.  
"Do you have a plan?" The way Kakashi asked that question was clearly a challenge.

"I do. Choji, Ino, Hinata, Shino, Kiba, Akamaru, Tenten, Lee, Sai and I will go after Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke. Our main objective will be to retrieve the Shichiseiken but we will also try to capture the criminals and bring them in. Sakura and Naruto will be brought here for questioning and Sasuke will be taken to Kirigakure to answer for his crime against them." Shikamaru explained. He was too tired to care about Kakashi's challenge and he frankly didn't care about what the Hokage thought about him anyway.

"Do you think that you guys can take them down?"

"We've grown up with the 3 of them. We know every one of their jutsu's and we know what they're capable of. We know how they think as well so if we can't take them down then no one can." The Hokage was silent for a moment as he stared at the lazy ninja. He knew that Kakashi was probably trying to figure out what he was planning but there was no way that he was going to be able to do so right now. Shikamaru wasn't going to let anyone get under his skin right now.

"Anything else the Kage should know about?"

"I want the Kazekage and Raikage to move their treasured tools to a safe location outside their villages. That would draw out whoever wants the tools and that way we can take them down. I want the Tsuchikage to send help to the Kazekage and I want the Mizukage to send help to the Raikage. Whichever Nation that will be targeted for an attack will need the help if they are too avoid any casualties. You should also order our treasured tool to be moved to a location outside the village and I want Konohamaru to lead the team that will protect it. He needs to get his mind off Naruto betraying the village." Kakashi nodded in agreement with his plan. At least he wasn't against the plan.

"Do you want to have your plans happening at the same time?"

"We will attack Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke tomorrow night so that's when the treasured tools should be moved." Shikamaru agreed.

"I will have Shizune send out messenger birds as soon as possible. You should go freshen up and meet back here in an hour so that you can brief your team." Shikamaru immediately bowed to the Hokage. At least they were being civil with each other despite the threatening stares between them.

"Excuse me." Shikamaru turned around and left the room then breathed another sigh of relief. Everything was going perfect, for now at least.  
He slowly made his way home as he looked up at the early evening sky while he placed his hands in his pockets. The temperature was cooler so it was probably getting ready to rain soon. He hated the rain but right now he wished the clouds above him would just pour down on him so that he could wash away all the emotions he was being plagued by right now. He didn't want to feel anything anymore. He just wanted to go with the flow. He just wanted to be a cloud.

"You know, it's warmer on the inside." A voice suddenly snapped him out of his thoughts. He looked around and saw that he was standing in front of his house. When did he get home? Was he so tired that he didn't even notice that he made it home?  
"Come on." His mother grabbed his hand then led him inside the house.

"How's Kurenai and her baby?" Shikamaru quickly asked once they sat down in the lounge.

"Kurenai is awake and her child's name is Mirai. They're both doing okay. They're not out of the woods yet but they can see the horizon." He's heard his mother make that reference so much times before but those words made him feel safe. No matter what happened, every time his mother said those words gave him hope that everything will be okay.

"That's a beautiful name."

"You should go visit them."

"I need a shower first." His mother gave him a soft smile but he could see that there was something on her mind. He knew that it was serious if she was being this sincere and caring with him, not that his mother was a monster, well not all the time at least.

"Your father had that same look on you had on your face every time he was about to go on a mission he wasn't sure he'd return from." That explained what was on his mother's mind. She was afraid that he was going to get hurt or worse. Honestly, he should've been feeling the same. Going up against Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke and surviving was going to take a lot out of them.

"I'm not going to lie to you mom, what I am planning on doing is dangerously stupid and life threatening." His mother was already worried so the least he could be was honest with her.

"Any chance I could talk you out of doing this?" He looked into his mother's pleading eyes and saw the desperation in them. She already lost a husband so she definitely didn't want to lose a son.

"I promise you, I will come back. It might take days or weeks but I will come back, even if I have to crawl back home." He hoped that would try to put her mind at ease but he knew that it was a long shot at best.

"You have a child you need to take care of so you have no other choice." His mother's joke put a much needed smile on his face. She was trying to be okay with this whole situation but he was pretty sure that she was going to be praying for his safety the moment he leaves tomorrow.

"She's just going to turn out to be another troublesome woman that's going to boss me around."

"Then you'll definitely be doing a great job raising her." He had to release a laugh at that. Even if she was going to be just another troublesome woman, he still wanted to be there while she grew up.  
"For now you have to go take a shower. I will make you some time then we can go to the hospital together." His mother instructed him.

"Yes ma'am." Shikamaru responded knowing that it would irritate his mother. Yoshino stared at her son as she got up but then made her way to the kitchen so Shikamaru got up as well and went up the stairs so that he could take a shower. This was probably going to be one of the last showers he took for a couple of days.  
Half an hour later he found himself and his mother at the hospital. He felt refreshed but still needed some serious sleep. He hadn't slept for nearly 24 hours now so hopefully their briefing didn't take too long so that he could go sleep. They entered Kurenai's room and heard light chatter.

"Good evening Hinata." Yoshino greeted the young Hyuga Heiress. She was sitting on a chair next to the bed while she spoke to Kurenai who was lying on her bed. Mirai was in a small cot on the other side of the bed closer to the window but she wasn't making a sound so she was probably sleeping.

"Good evening Mrs Nara, good evening Shikamaru." Hinata stood up and greeted them with a bow. Still as respectful as always.

"Hey Hinata." Shikamaru lazily greeted her then looked at the patient under the blankets.

"Are you guys sure that I'm the one with a weak heart and not this zombie?" Kurenai asked the two females as she gestured to Shikamaru. Despite what she said, he was glad to hear her voice. It was good to see her awake again and if she was able to criticize him then she was definitely doing okay.

"It's good to see you too Kurenai." Shikamaru replied as a smile crept across both their faces.

"A lot's been going on since I ended up here it seems." Kurenai stated as his mother took a seat on the chair Hinata was previously sitting on while she stood next to Shikamaru.

"Just the usual. Heroes turning into villains, treasured tools being stolen, men drugging boys; just a normal Konohan life." Shikamaru's sarcasm seemed to lighten up the mood around the room.

"I heard that you were the first one to hold Mirai." Kurenai looked over at the baby next to the bed and smiled.

"Yeah. Definitely Asuma's little demon." He confirmed.

"She's our little demon now." He let out a chuckle while they released a short laugh at that. She was definitely going to have so many people around her all the time that she wasn't even going to have the chance to understand loneliness.

"That's her calling." Yoshino informed them as the little girl began making a barrage of weird sounds but at least she wasn't crying.

"Maybe she wants you Shikamaru." He got Kurenai's message loud and clear. He was pretty sure that any one of the females in the room would do a better job of looking after the little girl besides him but Kurenai wanted him to take her. He quickly made his way around the bed then slowly picked her up in his arms. He couldn't help but smile as he looked at her. There was just something about her innocence and pure happiness that made him happy.

"She likes you." Hinata commented as she watched the pair.

"She's weird." Shikamaru said but refused to take his eyes off her. She was the last hope of purity that he had in the world and he didn't want to let that go.

"So are you. I guess the two of you will get along pretty nicely then." His mother stated causing them to laugh again.

"We'll see." Shikamaru made his way around the bed then carefully placed Mirai in her mother's arms again.  
"I just came to check up on you girls but now Hinata and I have a briefing we need to get to." Shikamaru informed the older kunoichi.

"Good luck then." Yoshino told them.

"Good bye Kurenai-sensei, Mrs Nara." Hinata greeted them with a bow again before following Shikamaru out of the room.

"How are you doing Hinata?" Shikamaru asked the shy girl once they were out of the room and walking down the hallways. Naruto's betrayal must've been hitting her hard seeing how close they had grown to each other.

"I'm okay." She definitely didn't sound okay but he was barely holding it together right now himself. It just felt like the whole world was against him right now. Like his life was destined to be one fucked up situation after the other.  
"Are we going to go after them?" Hinata softly asked.

"Yes."

"Do you know how we can get them back?"

"Maybe. I have a plan that might work." He informed her. He trusted Hinata to hear the actual plan and not the one that he was going to tell everyone else but he also needed her help.  
"There's something I am going to need you to do though for my plan to work."

"What is it?" Hinata asked as she turned to face him.

"It's a dangerous plan. It's going to require a lot from you." Shikamaru eyed her but he could see the conviction in her pale eyes.

"If it brings Naruto back to the village then I'll do whatever it takes. What is your plan?"

 **WOW, SHIKAMARU AND SHINO COULDN'T BE MORE VAGUE WITH THEIR PLANS. TELL US AS WELL! WE WANT TO KNOW! HAVE TO COMMEND SHIKAMARU'S BALLS TO GO UP AGAINST LADY TSUNADE AND KAKASHI BUT I HAVE TO SAY THAT I RELATE TO HIS ANGER THERE. I HOPE YOU GUYS ENJOYED IT AND IF YOU DIDN'T THEN FEEL FREE TO HATE ME. I DESERVE IT SINCE I AM JUST ANOTHER STUPID GUY. UNTIL NEXT TIME GUYS AND GIRLS, SEE YA…**


	26. Chapter 26

**HEY GUYS AND GIRLS. I'M BACK AND I AM ACTUALLY POSTING THIS WHILE I AM SOAKING WET RIGHT NOW. BUT I AM STILL HERE WITH ANOTHER CHAPTER. THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE SUPPORT SO FAR AND I HOPE I'M DOING THIS FANFIC JUSTICE. I'M SORRY FOR ALL THE MISTAKES AS USUAL.**

 **HAPPY READING**

"We're leaving tomorrow morning and heading to Kiba's position. We'll hear his report and assess the situation ourselves. Our first objective is to retrieve the Shichiseiken that Sasuke stole before trying to bring them in. We all know how dangerous Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke are but we can take them down if we work together. I'll be taking the lead and Shino will be the second in command. Everyone got that?" Shikamaru asked his friends as they gathered around in his office later that evening.

"Yes sir." They obediently replied but he could see that none of them looked eager to do this mission and he wasn't either. Every single one of them in the room right now had developed a special bond with the Naruto and Sakura so they didn't want to fight them let alone see them being thrown in jail. Just a couple of weeks ago they were all having a great time hanging out at Sakura's house and catching up with each other and now Naruto and Sakura were criminals and he and his friends were tasked with taking them down and bringing them back to the village. How did everything become so fucked up in such a short time? He looked around the room and notably missed the one person who would know the right words to boost their morale right now: Neji. The selfless Hyuga would've known the best thing to say right now. He was the perfect balance of duty and authority with compassion and sincerity. He was intelligent yet caring. He was the perfect ninja and friend all round. He would've been a great help now and not just because of his abilities. Damn, he never knew how much he would miss the Hyuga.

"I know that none of you want to do this but it's our duty. They're our friends and if we don't do this then every other nation would just send their ninja to try and capture them. This is not only to bring them back to the village but also to show them that we still care about them. I know that we were taught not to allow emotions to take over during missions but I don't see how we can remove our emotions from this mission. They're our friends but they're also our enemies right now. Whatever happens just make sure that you come back to the village." Not his best speech but right now he would give anything to get their morale up.

"We will bring them back." Ino agreed. She and Sakura shared the weirdest but deepest bond so she probably wanted to bring Sakura back for her own personal reasons as well.

"Get a good night's rest everyone. We'll meet at the main gate at sunrise." Shikamaru ordered them. They nodded in agreement and slowly made their way out of the room. There wasn't a lot of chatter happening between them. Even the usually energetic Lee was silent. He was taking their desertion as personally as everyone it seems. Shikamaru laid back in his seat and closed his eyes. He began going through the perilous plan in his head to try and find out if there was any way that his plan could be improved.

"Shikamaru." He opened his eyes to find Kakashi standing by his desk. He didn't even hear the Hokage entering the room let alone closing his door. Looks like not getting any sleep for over 24 hours really dampened his senses.

"Hokage-sama." Shikamaru was about to stand up and bow but Kakashi stopped him.

"We need to talk." Not the words he ever thought he would hear Kakashi tell him or any other male for that matter but there was a clear animosity between the two of them that he probably wanted to address and hopefully reconcile. The older shinobi made his way to the couches so Shikamaru stood up from his chair and took a seat on the longer couch opposite the Hokage.

"May I ask what's this about?" Shikamaru politely questioned him as he settled himself in on the comfortable couch cushions. It felt heavenly to his tired body right now.

"Your attitude for one." Looks like he was right about the aim of this discussion but he wasn't planning on giving in without a fight.

"Have I been disrespectful to you?" Shikamaru challenged the ninja.

"You haven't, you've been nothing but respectful but you've been doing it ironically which is in itself disrespectful."

"My apologies then."

"What I want to know is why? What happened?" This was a predicament. Did he lie to the Hokage or tell him the truth?  
"I want you to be honest with me Shikamaru." That kind of made his decision for him.

"You haven't exactly been honest with me." He shot back

"What do you mean?"

"The group of bandits and rogue ninja we took down. They were puppets for an even more powerful group of people. Those people are after the treasured tools and probably want to use them to harness the power of the tailed beasts. Sasuke was following the rogue ninja after their failed coup and probably wanted them to lead him to the people they worked for so that he could hopefully take them down. He then stole a treasured tool himself from Kirigakure and I believe that he took it so that he could keep it from falling into the hands of the people that want to steal it or he wanted to bait them just like I am doing with other tools. He probably told Naruto and Sakura this which is why they wanted to help him and why they deserted the village."

"What does that have to do with your attitude towards me?" Kakashi challenged him this time.

"When Ino, Choji and I wanted to go avenge Asuma's death, you knew we would leave the village to do it. You stepped in and helped us. You know as much as I do that any mention of Sasuke to Sakura and Naruto after he stole the treasured tool would immediately set them off and yet, you allowed them to go. Now I know that Naruto has a direct link to the tailed beasts who would be affected if the treasured tools are stolen and used to harness their power and I know that Sasuke doesn't want another war which is why he is working from the shadows to take down any organization like the Akatsuki but what I don't know is what Sakura's link to the tailed beasts are and don't lie to me and tell me that she has no link to them because I know that she does."

"How did you know?" Now we were getting somewhere. At least Kakashi wasn't lying to him now.

"I've always suspected that something had to happen to her after the war. She fought alongside Naruto with the power of the tailed beasts and she had direct contact to his blood and even saved his life during and after the war when he had his fight with Sasuke. I could only confirm that something might've happened to her after we spent some time together and she kept tensing up at random times. She used Naruto as an excuse at one time which could've been a coincidence. During the mission, Sasuke came and helped us then had a meeting with Naruto and Sakura that they refused to tell me about which could only mean that it had something to do with the tailed beasts. He could've possibly told them about his plan to steal one of the tools as well. I don't think I need to continue." The ball was in Kakashi's court now, it was up to him to make the next move.  
Suddenly the door opened so both ninja turned their attention towards the entrance of the room. The strangling tension that they had built up had been dissipated by the arrival of another person.

"You guys seem to be getting along pretty well here." Lady Tsunade said then sat down on the single couch adjacent to Kakashi and Shikamaru. She and Shizune had entered the room and interrupted the intense conversation between the two ninja.

"Your tea." Shizune told the Hokage as she put the cup down on the table. "Shikamaru, can I get you a cup as well?"

"Yes and some sake for me too. It looks like this is going to be a lengthy conversation." Lady Tsunade answered for Shikamaru. He didn't bother trying to argue with the former Hokage because he knew it would be a pointless battle. He noticed the terrifying stares that were being thrown between the two females in the room now which made him a little uncomfortable now as well. Not even Sakura and Ino's wordless battles made him this nervous.

"I'll be back soon then." Shizune swiftly left the room then closed the door behind her.

"Are we finally addressing Shikamaru's behavior towards us?" Lady Tsunade asked the silver haired Hokage.

"We're getting there." Kakashi informed her. She turned her attention to Nara and quickly stared him down.

"What's your problem with us?" Lady Tsunade was direct with her questioning unlike Kakashi but she had the freedom to do so. She didn't really need to maintain any other relationship with the lazy ninja except a professional one so she could push the boundaries a lot more than the Hokage could.

"You guys went around my back and decided that I could handle the information about Sasuke." Shikamaru decided to tell them the truth. He was tired of all the games and challenges and the questioning. He was just genuinely tired so he didn't have energy for anything but the truth right now.

"Kurenai was being operated on so we didn't want to add more to your plate." He could see the compassion behind Lady Tsunade's decision but he still didn't like it.

"My father died during the war and I was still able to teach shinobi from all over the ninja realm a jutsu so that's not an excuse. No matter what happens around me, I am still a fully capable ninja that is able to put his emotions aside so that I can focus on my duty. I'm the head of my clan, a member of the Daimyo's council and the leader of the Shinobi Union so I should've been informed about any information regarding Sasuke, Orochimaru, Kabuto or the treasured tools as soon as you got them. That's the position the Kage agreed to give me and that's the job I accepted with open arms so if you want to keep information from me then you're not only disobeying your fellow Kage and doing a disservice to every single person across the nations but you're also betraying me. I'm an advisor to the Hokage so I report to the Hokage but it's my duty to make sure that every action that our shinobi take will be to the benefit of the people living and working in our village but I can't do that if you guys won't allow me to." Wow, it felt good to get that off his chest. He knew that his words were harsh and very aggressive but it's what he needed to say and it's what they needed to hear. He looked over at their expressions to see their reactions but he couldn't see Kakashi's reaction under his mask as usual. The Sannin's expression took him by surprise though. She had a victorious smile on her face for some reason. Did she want him to explode like that?

"We apologize for keeping the information from you and for going behind your back Shikamaru." Shikamaru had never heard the copy ninja sound more sincere in the entire time that he knew him. He genuinely meant those words.

"But I am glad we did." Lady Tsunade told him but then turned to Kakashi. "He's ready." Ready? Ready for what? What were they planning?

"I agree." Okay, what the hell was going on right now?

"Ready for what?" Shikamaru bluntly asked them.

"It's time for you to know how this village really works." Lady Tsunade's answer left him even more confused.

"Not right now. When you come back from your mission then we'll tell you everything you need to know. For now, we need to tell you about Sakura, Naruto and Sasuke." Okay, now he definitely was listening. This is what he was waiting for.

"You're back again." Kurenai said Shikamaru entered her hospital room later that night. She was sitting up and holding Mirai in her arms. The sight of the kunoichi with her child put a reluctant smile on his face. It was picture perfect and he was pretty sure that Asuma had a stupid smile on his face right now wherever he was watching them from.

"Couldn't sleep and I am technically supposed to be here for a couple more days anyway." He went to the bed he woke up on yesterday and decided to rest his body down on it.

"Your bed is still here so I guess you're right." Kurenai agreed.

"You should be resting as well." He pointed out but looked up at the bland ceiling above him. He was so tired that he wasn't tired anymore. He was beginning to near 30 hours without sleep so he needed it desperately especially with an important mission that he needed to be ready for at sunrise.

"Our little demon here doesn't want me to." Shikamaru immediately turned his attention to the baby in Kurenai's arms. She looked peaceful and seemed like she was sleeping though.  
"Every time I put her in the cot then she wakes up 10 minutes later." That made things clearer for him.

"Maybe she just wants some human contact while she rests. She was safe and warm in your womb for 9 months so she probably just needs to get used to being in this world." That was a reasonable explanation right?

"You make it sound like she's an alien." Kurenai jokingly replied then released a chuckle.

"You're the one who called her a demon." He had an amusing smile on his face while Kurenai continued laughing.

"Shut it lazy ass." Looks like Temari infected another kunoichi with her nickname for him. Despite all his hatred and anger for her and her family, he enjoyed having her around while Kurenai was in the operating room.

"Where are the Suna shinobi?"

"They left yesterday morning while you were sleeping. They wanted to stay but Gaara wanted to inform the elders of Suna about the situation personally before they used that as another reason to try and overthrow him." He understood where the young Kazekage was coming from. He knew that there was still a lot of people opposed to Gaara being the Kazekage even after everything he did for them. He literally died to save their village yet they still didn't like him. He didn't know if it was still out of fear or if there was another reason.

"I hope they don't target Suna again now." Shikamaru released a sigh as he thought about it. Going after the treasured tool in the Wind Nation while they moved it would actually be a good idea for the unknown group of ninja terrorizing the ninja realm. They already attacked Suna by using a coup so they knew the layout and the defence systems in the dessert city. From what Shikamaru could tell, they never attacked the same target twice so they probably were going to target the treasured tool in Kumogakure but now would be the perfect change for them if they were willing. It was probably the better option to go back to the Wind Nation but it was up to them.

"Talking about the group of bandits that you took down?"

"Yeah."

"But you took them down. They can't attack again."

"I wish it was as simple as that." With the information about Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke that Lady Tsunade and Kakashi just shared with him definitely threw simple out of the window. Everything was so irritatingly complicated.  
"There's a group of unknown shinobi that's trying to get their hands on the treasured tools. They were using the bandits as a cover to do it."

"Oh. You'll catch them before they do anything bad, I know you will." He hoped Kurenai's belief in him wasn't misplaced. He didn't care about people's opinion about him in general but for some reason he hated disappointing the people closest to him especially Kurenai. Asuma wanted him to look after her and her child so he didn't want to disappoint his sensei either.  
"I can't sleep on my side yet and she's going to keep us up all night if she's in the cot so you're the lucky one she get's to cuddle with tonight." Kurenai said then presented Mirai to him. He quickly stood up from his bed then went over to her and grabbed the sleeping child.

"Not even 3 days old but already bossing us around." Shikamaru's comment put a smile on the genjutsu master's face.

"You don't seem to mind though." Kurenai pointed out as Shikamaru went back to his bed then laid back down with the baby in his arms.

"She's worth it." He gently turned on his side and let her rest on the bed against him. He was pretty sure that he was going to live to regret those words but right now she just looked like a small angel resting against him.

"We'll see." Kurenai slowly got back into bed as well so that she could probably rest her body as well. His body felt like it was barely functioning right now so he couldn't imagine how her body must've been feeling especially after everything she went through these past couple of days.  
"What are you going to do about you and Sakura?" Kurenai's sudden question left him speechless. It's not that he didn't want to think about his relationship with Sakura but rather that he didn't have time to. There was just too many other things going on around him that needed his attention more and some of those things are a result of her actions so even if he did think about her then it would only be to try and rectify the mess that she and Naruto had made.

"I don't know." He truthfully answered her but he knew that she wasn't going to be satisfied with that answer. If she was going to continue questioning him about this subject then he might as well try to find answers. Kill two birds with one stone.

"Well what are you feeling right now?"

"Honestly; anger, hatred and disappointment mostly."

"Why are you angry at her?"

"She left when I begged her to stay. She didn't even try to explain, she just left."

"The hatred?"

"I hate that she abandoned you in the middle of your operation. I hate that she broke her promise to me. I hate that she left you and me to go help that piece of shit of an Uchiha."

"And you hate the fact that you opened yourself up to someone after everything that you've been through and she threw it back in your face." Kurenai's conclusion hit the nail on the head. Sakura destroyed him but he wasn't going to let that get in the way of what he had to do. If he had to be an emotionless robot then that's what he was going to be for the sake of keeping the village safe.

"She's the last person I expected to hurt me like this."

"She's intelligent and loyal shinobi so she must've had a reason for doing what she did." If only Kurenai knew what Shikamaru knew about her reasons then she probably would've had a different view there.

"When I bring them back to the village then they will answer for what they did and I will personally ensure that they get punished." That was one thing he was dead serious about. They don't get to abandon their village and not pay the price no matter who they were.

"They're your friends Shikamaru, don't forget that." Kurenai probably didn't want him to ruin any chance of rebuilding their relationships with each other when all this passed but he didn't seem like he cared about it.

"Right now they're an enemy." He sighed as he looked at the little girl sleeping soundly beside him. This whole situation was just tiring.  
"Aren't you going to ask about my disappointment?"

"No, that one I understand." He could hear that by her tone. Looks like their actions affected every single shinobi in the village and not just their generation.

"We'll bring them back but for now I need sleep." Shikamaru said as he tried to end the conversation before both of them ended up in tears or even more angry.

"Just don't suffocate my child in your sleep." Kurenai warned him.

"As long as she doesn't wake me up then there won't be any trouble." Shikamaru replied.

 **THERE IT IS, ANOTHER ONE DONE. WHY IN THE F*** DID LADY TSUNADE HAVE TO INTERRUPT THEM JUST WHEN WE WERE GETTING ANSWERS? IS SHIKAMARU SERIOUSLY GOING TO GIVE UP ON SAKURA? LIKE HOW THE F*** DID THIS GET SO MESSED UP? I GUESS WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE NEXT ONE. SEE YA…**


	27. Chapter 27

**OKAY THEN, I GUESS THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE CLIMATIC CHAPTER THAT SOME OF YOU HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR BUT I KNOW THAT EVERYONE IS GOING TO HATE ME AFTER THIS BUT WHAT I DO WANT TO ASK OF YOU GUYS IS TO JUST STAY FOR ONE MORE CHAPTER AFTER THIS ONE. JUST ONE MORE STUPID CHAPTER PLEASE THEN I WILL EXPLAIN EVERYTHING (OR WILL I?).**

 **HAPPY READING**

"Kiba, Hana, Izumo, Kotetsu." Shikamaru addressed the four ninja once he and his team met Kiba's team in a small village in the Land of Whirlpools. It was just past noon so they had made good time in getting to their destination.

"Yo guys." Izumo happily greeted the team as the four of them faced the bigger group. They were standing outside a building close to the edge of the rural village. The Inuzuka ninja dogs were standing at attention and probably keeping up their jobs.

"So what's the word from the village?" Kotetsu asked him.

"Kiba and Akamaru are going to join our team. I need you, Izumo, Hana and her ninja dog to head to Kumogakure to assist the transportation of their treasured tool alongside ninja from Kirigakure." Shikamaru informed them.

"3 nations doing a joint mission just to transport a magic pot?" Hana skeptically asked the Nara.

"You will receive more information after the mission ends and you return to our village." Shikamaru stared them down and they immediately backed off.

"Damn, this must be important." Izumo commented as he tried to laugh it off.

"Everything must go according to plan so don't mess this up." Shikamaru warned them. "So what can you guys tell us about Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke's location?"

"They are hold up in some sort of cave that definitely goes underground but it doesn't look like they can escape underground. I think it may be some type of storage facility that Orochimaru or Kabuto used before the war. It's pretty much just sand and dry land leading to the cave. A couple of rocky hills but nothing that would provide enough coverage to escape undetected." Hana provided her detailed report. It was pretty much an even playing field then. No one had an advantage or disadvantage when it came to the terrain.

"They've been in there ever since Naruto and Sakura joined Sasuke. There's no one else inside and no one has entered the cave after them." Kiba added.

"Possibility of traps?" Shikamaru asked them.

"I don't think so. Sasuke isn't the type to set traps anyway. He likes a challenge so he'll confront you straight up." Kotetsu wasn't wrong there. Sasuke loved a battle and definitely didn't mind destroying them without remorse. The weird thing that Shikamaru always noticed about Sasuke was that he never went looking for a fight but he didn't not walk away from them.

"Okay, thanks for the information guys. You need to leave now if you want to make it to Kumogakure before they move the treasured tool tonight." Shikamaru told them.

"Good luck getting Naruto and Sakura back but don't do anything reckless." Hana told them then put her hand on her brother's head and messed up his hairstyle.

"Just go already." Kiba pushed his sister away as she laughed.

"See you at home little brother." Hana said then petted her ninja dog. Her one looked more ferocious and deadlier than Akamaru but Akamaru's innocent face was just a façade. The four shinobi, including Hana's ninja dog, made their way away from the larger group and headed in the direction of Kumogakure.

"So what now?" Ino asked as the group of ninja looked at each other.

"Now I tell you guys the plan." Shikamaru replied.

7 hours, a long strategy and planning meeting, way too many stupid arguments, a fist fight and a time of resting later; they were ready to face their enemy. They knew what they needed to do and how to do it so now it was only a matter of executing their plan. All of them were sitting in the building they were standing outside when they arrived. Some of them were just lying and trying to conserve their energy while others were checking their equipment before the mission. Kiba and Akamaru were still on alert in case the 3 rogue shinobi decided to move locations.

"You still okay Shikamaru?" Shino asked him while they stood close to the window and looked out at the early night sky that had formed.

"Under 2 more hours right?" Shikamaru replied as Shino nodded in agreement. He knew that Shino was referring to their plan but Shikamaru was becoming more nervous about it the closer the time came for their assault.

"Last chance for any changes." Shino was probably right about that but there was no other way Shikamaru could think of to improve his plan anymore. Everything was as perfect as they could be so he didn't even want to change anything in case it ruined everything else.

"Have anything better?" He took the bug master's silence as a 'no'. He didn't know if Shino had anything better or if he was too afraid to change the plan as well.  
"You ready for this?" Shikamaru was their leader so he had to make sure that they were ready for this as well.

"Yes." Shino confidently answered. He hoped Shino's confidence rubbed off on him because he really needed it right now.

"Then let's get everyone ready." Shikamaru turned around and looked at his friends scattered around the room.  
"We're leaving in 10 minutes so get your things ready." Shikamaru instructed everyone. They slowly began getting up from their places and began checking their equipment and weapons. Everyone was silent as they did their things. He didn't know if it was because of nerves or because of their reluctance to do this.

"Shikamaru." Hinata's nervous voice grabbed his attention. He turned to the right and saw the Hyuga standing next to him.

"Something wrong Hinata?" He could see the worry in Hinata's eyes but he knew why. The things he was asking of her were difficult to do even for a Kage but there was no one else in this situation who was better suited for it.

"I just want to make sure that everything is still on track." He turned to Shino standing on the opposite side of him before turning back to Hinata.

"Everything will be okay. You guys need to focus on doing your parts or else this would all have been for nothing." Shikamaru reminded them. They nodded in agreement then walked off with each other. They were going to have to work perfectly together if they were going to be successful but they knew each other perfectly so he didn't foresee any problems there.

"You look too relaxed for someone who's going to be leading us into the battle of our lives." Ino commented as she and Choji came up to him now. Why did everyone suddenly want to speak to him?

"If I show you how scared I am right now then you guys shouldn't trust me." Shikamaru replied.

"A man without fear is a man with a death wish." Choji stated.

"Death is much more peaceful than this." At least that's what he hoped. He did hear from Kurenai-sensei that when Kakashi died against Pein then he met his dead father who was sitting around a fire under the glow of the stars so at least that was promising enough. Death couldn't be all that bad.

"Except when you're being targeted for the reanimated jutsu." Ino's reply put a smile on his face. It was a stupid reply but still pretty relevant. The reanimating jutsu just complicated things unnecessarily so he hoped that no one attempted that jutsu again. Orochimaru and Kabuto were still capable of doing it but he hoped that they showed some restraint.

"If I die then burn my body I guess. Being brought back to life sounds like such a drag." That put a smile on Ino's face now as well.

"We'll just have to make sure that you don't do something stupid then and that goes for you too Choji." Ino warned them.

"I just follow Shikamaru's orders." Choji innocently replied.

"Throwing me under the bus Cho?" Shikamaru raised an eyebrow which made the Akimichi nervous but amused him and Ino. "I'm just playing Cho but if I give you guys the order to retreat then do it okay. No one needs to be heroes tonight."

"Okay." Both of them nodded in agreement. He loved the two irritating ninja in front of him and was proud of the shinobi they became. He hated that they were still just as troublesome as they were when they were kids but at least they become more mature, for the most part.

"When we're all back in the village again then we're getting barbecue with Kurenai-sensei and Mirai. We can't do it with Asuma anymore but Kurenai is just as fun but a lot more nosy." Shikamaru suggested.

"Deal. Kurenai and I have a lot of catching up to do and Mirai is just too damn cute." Ino didn't need to add that last part but at least she was in.

"I'm always up for barbecue." Yep, Choji was never going to turn that down.

"Let's look forward to that then. For now, we need to remain focus." Shikamaru put his hands on their shoulders then walked with them to the middle of the room since everyone looked like they were finished setting their equipment and ready to set out.  
"Okay, everyone listen up. We're going to run through the plan once more before we leave. Once we leave then we don't speak about the plan only if we need to change it okay."

"Yes sir." All of them agreed.

"We're going to head towards their cave where they would most probably be outside waiting for us. We'll try to reason with them first before we start fighting. If it does break out in a fight then Ino, Choji and I will take on Sasuke. Tenten and Lee will handle Sakura. Kiba, Akamaru, Shino and Hinata will take on Naruto. Sai will focus on retrieving the Shichiseiken while we're battling. If you're in trouble then ask for help. Always be on the lookout for traps and always be on alert. They might be our friends but right now they're still our enemies so we'll have to treat them as such. Let's go everyone."  
Not really an inspiring speech their leader right now but all of them knew what they were getting themselves into so they should've been physically and mentally prepared beforehand. They silently left the house then swiftly but cautiously headed in the direction of the cave Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura were supposedly hiding in. Shikamaru felt a quick pain in his chest but it disappeared soon after so he continued with the journey like the rest of them. No matter the amount of pain his body was in right now, it was sure to get worse once they began battling the Hokage's former students.

"They're waiting for us." Kiba suddenly informed the group as they neared their destination. Shikamaru wasn't able to see their targets but he trusted Kiba and Akamaru's ability. Shikamaru was expecting team 7 to be waiting for the group outside their cave so this didn't change his plan. They continued moving forward but still remained vigilant in case of any traps.

"Sasuke has the Shichiseiken on his back." Sai stated. Shikamaru could see the silhouettes of the 3 ninja in the distance but his eyesight wasn't as strong as Sai's was. The emotionless shinobi was more experienced and probably more skilled than the Nara or the other shinobi in the group right now so it didn't come as a shock to them that he was able to see the treasured tool on Sasuke's back right now.

"Sai, you're with Ino, Choji and myself until you get the Shichiseiken. The rest of the plan still remains the same." Shikamaru informed them. The lazy ninja was beginning to get a lot more nervous now with every step he took. He began seeing the 3 deserters more clearly and all of them looked ready for a fight.

"Took you guys long enough." Sasuke arrogantly said once they were standing a couple of yards away from each other but still close enough to hear him clearly.

"Hand over the Shichiseiken." Shikamaru ordered him. He may have been nervous and admittedly scared but he wasn't going to back down now.

"Shikamaru, just listen to us please." Sakura told him but he turned to her with a deathly stare. He really didn't want to speak to her or even see her right now but he had a mission to complete.

"If you're going to try and convince us that Sasuke stole the Shichiseiken so that you guys can protect it from whoever wants to get a hold of it because you don't trust the Kage or you think that you guys can do a better job than they can then don't waste your breath." Shikamaru responded.

"I was able to break into Kirigakure and steal the sword so the Mizukage clearly wasn't doing a great job protecting it." Sasuke let out a small chuckle at his accomplishment. He was clearly proud of being a criminal.

"So you're proud of being able to steal the sword when the Mizukage wasn't even in the village to protect it?" Sasuke's smile immediately disappeared and returned to his usual emo expression.

"We don't want to fight you guys. We can work together. We're friends." Naruto told them. He clearly didn't want to ruin his relationships with everyone but that didn't mean that his mission was right or that the way he was going about doing it was the right way.

"Hand over the Shichiseiken and come back to Konohagakure with us, last chance." Shikamaru offered them.

"Join us and take down whoever wants to control the tailed beasts." Sasuke counteroffered. Suddenly Hinata began making her way towards the 3 rogue ninja.

"Hinata what are you doing?" Kiba quickly asked her but Shikamaru could hear the alarm in his voice. He knew that Kiba shared a unique bond with the Hyuga so he didn't want to fight her or see her hurt. His care for Hinata almost rivalled that of Naruto's but he knew that there was no romantic spark between the Inuzuka and Hyuga. They shared more of a sibling relationship.

"Yeah Hinata, come back here." Tenten told her but Hinata kept walking until she reached them then threw her arms around Naruto and embraced him.

"You traitor Hinata! You belong with them!" Ino angrily shouted at her. So much for leaving the talking part up to Shikamaru but Hinata's betrayal did kind of ruin his plan now.

"Anyone else want to join us?" Sasuke asked them.

"Go to hell Sasuke!" Kiba replied. He was clearly as angry as Ino was right now. They would actually be a good match for each other if Shikamaru thought about it. Kiba was hot headed and arrogant but so was Ino. Both of them were flirts in their own right except that Ino was more successful at it than Kiba. If only there was a romantic spark between them instead of them hating each other most of the time.

"I'll see you there." Sasuke immediately began making hand signs and activating his jutsu so all of them got ready for whatever it was.

"Stick to the plan guys." Shikamaru informed them as a wave of fire began forming and headed straight towards them.

"I got this." Tenten told them then pulled out a scroll. Suddenly an ocean of water began rushing against the wave of fire and immediately put it out but continued flooding the land behind them. Sasuke, Naruto, Sakura and Hinata immediately began moving backwards and trying to avoid being hit by the rush of water but thankfully that caused them to be split up.

"Let's go guys." Shikamaru instructed him then heard Sakura's fierce battle cry and felt the ground shake beneath them. Suddenly the water began draining into a large crack in the ground but they ignored it and began rushing to their opponents.

"Mind Body Switch." Ino commanded and aimed it at Sasuke then fell onto Shikamaru's awaiting back.

"Spiked Human Bullet Tank." Choji synced up with Ino then quickly launched his body covered by his spiky hair into the air and headed straight towards Sasuke.

"Shadow Possession." Shikamaru activated his jutsu to immobilize the Uchiha just in case he was able to get Ino out of his head. He took a look at the rest of the battles happening to see their progress. The closest battle to him was Naruto and Hinata fighting against Shino and Kiba. Kiba was using his Fang Over Fang to try and disorient his opponents so that Shino's insects could swarm them but Hinata was using her gentle fist to keep the bugs away from her and Naruto. Sakura and Lee were engaged in an intense taijutsu battle while Tenten gave him some support. He looked around and tried to find Sai but he was missing. He saw that the Shichiseiken was still against Sasuke's back and he didn't see any of Sai's drawings running about. He just hoped that Sai was able to get the sword no matter what else he did.

"Shikamaru, I got some information I need to tell Kakashi about." Ino snapped him back to reality. He saw Choji about to hit Sasuke when suddenly the ribcage of his Susanoo appeared to protect him against the Akimichi.

"Not now. Once you get back to the village." Shikamaru instructed her then used his shadows to launch 2 smoke bombs so that Choji can safely make his way back to them.

"What do we do now Shikamaru?" Choji asked them as Sasuke's full Susanoo erupted before them.

"Cho, I need you to take on the Susanoo and I will try and provide support. Ino, help Kiba and Shino." Shikamaru instructed them. They nodded in agreement and Ino immediately left them. Choji grew as big as the Susanoo before them and quickly pushed the bow and arrow to the side so that he and Shikamaru weren't shot. The arrow landed and exploded kilometers away from them but they were still able to feel the force of the explosion.  
Suddenly a familiar drawing of a lion appeared behind the Susanoo; Sai's drawings, the same one he used to seal some of the reanimated shinobi during the war. Was he seriously trying to seal the Susanoo and Sasuke as well?

"Shikamaru, get this to Tenten." Sai instructed him then threw the Shichiseiken towards the Nara. He looked at Sasuke's back and still saw the exact same sword so which one was fake? If Sasuke had the fake one then how the hell did Sai manage to do that to the Uchiha?  
He couldn't dwell on that now, he needed to get the tool to Tenten. He grabbed the sword then ran towards top weapon user in the village. He avoided the battle happening between Naruto, Hinata, Kiba, Akamaru and Shino but saw that Ino was using her Mind Body Disturbance Technique to force Naruto and Hinata to fight each other which gave Shino, Kiba and Akamaru the chance to attack. He continued on his way to Tenten who was watching on the sidelines as Lee and Sakura took part in one of the best taijutsu battles Shikamaru has ever seen. Both shinobi were giving it their all and they were surprisingly equally matched despite being better in respect categories. Lee had speed and power on his side but Sakura was as strong as a mountain and absorbed his attacks while counterattacking as well. It was honestly beautiful to watch the purity of the taijutsu but he had to remain focused.

"Tenten, put this away." Shikamaru instructed her as he handed over the treasured tool.

"Now we take them down?" Tenten asked as she sealed the tool in her scroll.

"Yep." Shikamaru agreed then began running back to Choji and Sai battling the Uchiha.

"Giant Rasengan." Naruto loudly announced. Shikamaru saw 3 clones jump into the air with huge balls of Rasengan in their hands so he quickly activated his shadows and moved his allies out of the way so that they didn't get hit by the Rasengan's.

"Thanks Shikamaru." Kiba told him as they saw Naruto transform into the Six Paths Senjutsu state with the Truth-Seeking Balls next to him while Hinata activated her Twin Lion Fists.

"Shikamaru, what do we do?" Sai asked as he and Choji jumped off Sai's birds. He saw that Sasuke had joined Naruto and Hinata's side and he was getting ready to use his unique Rinnegan.  
A huge explosion quickly drew all their attention to the battle that was happening between Sakura and Lee. Lee had activated his fifth gate of the Eight Gates Techniques while Sakura had activated her Strength of a Hundred Seal. Things were getting way too serious, way too quickly right now. They haven't even been fighting for 10 minutes yet all of them looked like they had been through war despite them being ready for round 2 right now.

"Lee, Tenten; retreat!" Shikamaru instructed them.

"Are you serious? We can take them Shikamaru." Kiba stated.

"Don't be stupid Kiba. Taking on Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura and Hinata in the states they're in right now would only end badly. We'll live to fight another day." Shikamaru replied.

"Summoning jutsu." Shino summoned his gigantic insect and Sai immediately created a huge bird as well.

"What are we doing Shikamaru?" Lee asked him.

"Going back to Konoha." Shikamaru informed him then turned to Tenten. "Hand me the scroll with the Shichiseiken."

"What are you going to do Shikamaru?" Ino asked him as Tenten handed him the scroll.

"You need to get to Kakashi and tell him everything you saw in Sasuke's head. Everyone, go back to Konoha, that's an order." Shikamaru told them.

"If you're staying here then so are we." Kiba stated.

"We're not leaving you behind." Choji added.

"I appreciate your concern but I need to do this. I'm ordering you guys to go back to the village now." Shikamaru sternly commanded them. He could see their reluctance at first but then saw them climb onto Shino's insect or Sai's bird. It took a few minutes before they flew off and headed in the direction of Konoha and Shikamaru finally allowed the pain in his body to surface. It felt like something was eating him from the inside out. He ignored then turned to face the four shinobi behind him and walked closer to them. All of them had deactivated their abilities and were now curiously looking at the young Nara approaching them.

"Why didn't you leave with them Shikamaru?" Hinata asked him.

"I've grown up with all four of you. I know you guys like the back of my hand. I know that all you guys ever wanted was peace. Peace in the village, peace in your life, peace in your clan, peace for the next generation but it's all the same peace and guess what, you guys achieved that when you won the war. You defeated the Akatsuki, stopped Obito, held off Madara and defeated Kaguya. You guys did the impossible and I was so proud of you guys. This year had been the worst year of my life. Asuma died which killed me but then I got revenge. You know, during that time, none of you actually gave a crap about me. I mean, you were by the funeral and you said how sorry you were about my loss and then that was it. Obviously you weren't in the village Sasuke so you can't be blamed there but leaving the village in the first place was such a dick move by the way. Granted, Naruto and Sakura came to mine, Ino and Choji's rescue when we went to get revenge but that didn't really make up for their lack of compassion you know. Birds of a feather I guess. When Jiraiya died, I was there for you Naruto. I gave you some advice and I shared my experience with you since my sensei also died. And then the war came and everyone began dying and those who were already dead came back to life. Yes there will always be casualties in war and that's the risk we all accept when we agree to participate. You guys were there battling the ten tails. You guys could've stopped the ten tails before it fired it's bomb that killed mine and Ino's father if you think about it. Maybe you guys were too arrogant and think that it was firing at something else but I can't really hold that against you. It was in the middle of a battle so my father died and I lost another important person in my life and you know what happened after that, you guys weren't there for me once again. It was the middle of a war like I said so it couldn't be helped. Neji died as well so we were all affected by his death. Sakura did save me and I appreciate that but then the war ended and Naruto and Sasuke decided to kill each other once again. We got back to the village and a month of mourning was declared and you guys told me how sorry you were and attended the funerals and that was it once again. Besides Hinata who lost Neji and Sasuke who was still locked up, there was actually no excuse for the Hero of Konoha and Tsunade's star pupil not to show compassion and be there for me. You're probably listening to me speak and thinking that I am being selfish or narcissistic or just looking for attention but that is the past and I am only bringing it up to show you guys how badly you suck as friends." Suddenly blood began pouring out of Shikamaru's eyes as the pain in his body made him feel weak but he didn't want to give in yet. The looks on everyone faces except Sasuke showed that this emotional blackmail was affecting them perfectly. Sasuke hardly ever showed his emotions but he hoped that he was at least feeling some sympathy towards him right now.

"Shikamaru, your crying blood." Sakura sounded concern and was about to make her way towards him but he held out his hand to stop her.

"You don't get to heal me or touch me ever again. Not after you walked out on Kurenai and her child. Not after I begged you to stay but you just turned your back on me. Not after you decided to chase after Sasuke rather than save Kurenai's life. Both she and her child are doing great by the way. Her child's name is Mirai and she is definitely Asuma's little demon but she is a bit cute I suppose. Mirai won't be able to grow up in the peace that you guys wanted to create though and it's all because you guys decided to go off and become criminals. You guys are hypocrites you know and that actually hurts me. I always supported you Naruto, even when everyone else despised you but this I cannot support. I admired you while I grew up, Sakura. You were always headstrong but smart and followed your heart but I can't forgive you for this. Sasuke, if you'd just let one of us help you after your family died then maybe this could've turned out differently but you decided to push everyone away and you decided that you didn't need us yet you want to drag the 3 of them down with you. Even you have to see how selfish that is of you. And Hinata, I really didn't think that you would betray us. I thought we were on the same page and I had a perfect plan until you messed it up so well done. You guys deserve each other and I guess you can have this back." Shikamaru tossed them the scroll but he could hardly keep himself up right now. Everything inside him screamed at him to shut down.

"Shikamaru, please just let Sakura help you." Hinata pleaded with the Nara as blood began spilling out of his mouth.

"No. I would rather die right now than be saved by you guys. I grew up being called a coward so let me die with my pride still intact." Shikamaru slowly turned around from them then tried to take a step but ended up falling and being unable to stop himself. Damn, Shino said that this would make him wish for death but he kind of forgot to mention that this probably was death. Everything around him just seemed to fade away. He didn't hear anything , see anything or feel anything anymore. It was just a vast sea of pitch black nothingness.

 **IF YOU GUYS MADE IT THROUGH THIS CHAPTER WITHOUT QUESTIONING MY STUPID FIGHT SCENE THEN YOU GUYS ARE MY TRUE FANS BECAUSE I AM NOT EVEN A FAN OF ME RIGHT NOW. DID I JUST KILL SHIKAMARU RIGHT NOW? AND WHAT THE F*** DID SHINO HAVE TO DO WITH HIM DYING? WAS HE EVEN SICK? LIKE WHAT THE ACTUAL F***ING HELL? I GOTTA SAY, SHIKA DOES MAKE SOME VALID POINTS IN HIS LONG A$$ DIALOGUES. ANYWAY, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, I HOPE YOU GUYS AND GIRLS STAY FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER SO UNTIL THEN, SEE YA…**


	28. Chapter 28

**HEY GUYS AND GIRLS. SORRY FOR THE LONGISH WAIT ESPECIALLY AFTER WHAT HAPPENED IN THE LAST CHAPTER. I HOPE THAT THIS IS WORTH THE WAIT. I'M NOT GONNA SPEND ANY MORE TIME ON THIS SO YOU GUYS CAN JUST READ THE CHAPTER YOU'VE BEEN WAITING FOR.**

 **HAPPY READING**

Pain, searing through his aching body. The unrelenting wave of hurt crushing his bones and eating away at his muscles leaving him unable to move; was this death? Shikamaru slowly opened his eyes despite the pain coursing through them. There was a light shining in the corner of the room providing just enough light to assess the situation he was in right now.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Sakura immediately appeared in his line of sight. She checked his body and placed her warm soft hands on his stomach which immediately spread the joy across his face before he remembered everything that happened.

"You just couldn't let me die in peace." His reply was blunt and emotionless as he looked at her forgiving eyes.

"You can hate me as much as you want to right now but I am not going to let you die. It's my duty as a medical-nin." He scoffed at that.

"So you're using that line again. Where was your duty when you abandoned Kurenai?" His question left her speechless but she didn't walk away. She stayed by his side and continue checking his body.

"I'm not leaving you."

"Until Sasuke is in trouble again right?"

"Say whatever you want to, I'm not leaving you. I don't care what I have to endure if it means that you're safe and healthy." She had a blank expression on her face as she refused to show emotion but he could tell that she wanted to do explode with anger and rage or break down and cry or maybe she wanted to do both but she kept her cool and calm expression. It was admirable but that wasn't what he needed right now. He needed her to be angry at him and hate him or show some sort of emotion because he couldn't be the only piece of shit right now.  
"How are you feeling?" She suddenly asked him before the silence between them became too overbearing.

"I'm paralyzed and in a hell of a lot of pain." He truthfully answered her. Shino had warned him about this but he didn't know it would hurt this badly. Shikamaru had been paralyzed before so he knew how it felt but the pain was a little too unbearable.

"You're paralyzed? Are you sure?" Sakura quickly asked him then grabbed his legs. "Do you feel this?"

"No."

"Can you move anything?" He tried moving his arms or legs but he couldn't. It was like his body wasn't responding to him anymore.

"Besides my head, no." He informed her. She immediately became alarmed but quickly began her thought process. She was probably trying to figure out what was wrong with him. He was actually interested in hearing what her brain could up with.

"Poison. Did someone poison you?" Not a bad guess.

"I don't know. I wouldn't be surprised actually."

"There are so many paralytic substances. Is there anyway you'd know what it was that made you paralyzed?" She sounded frustrated, did she not want to be right?

"Hey, relax. I'm still alive for some reason so maybe the poison would wear off." Shikamaru suggested but she didn't look like she calmed down or relaxed. She went over to a desk that was placed close to the door of the room then sat down and began furiously writing something.  
"Where are we by the way?" He asked her.

"Otogakure." She casually answered him. There's only one place in Otogakure that he could think of that they would be hiding out in.

"Orochimaru's hideout?"

"Yes." She confirmed.

"How long was I unconscious for?"

"About 3 days." Damn, that was longer than he thought but that didn't hinder his plans.

"Did you guys carry me here?"

"Naruto and Sasuke took turns."

"I'm pretty sure you threatened them into doing so."

"I wasn't going to leave you in the middle of nowhere to die." He appreciated that but that didn't change how he felt about her or her male teammates.

"That was the wrong choice." He said then sighed. It was more a sigh of relief than anything. "Where is Robin Hood and the rest of the merry men?"

"Funny. Naruto and Sasuke are out getting supplies and Hinata is on lookout." Sakura informed him. He was actually surprised that she didn't have any problem telling him what he wanted to know. She hadn't lied to him or kept anything from him since he woke up actually.

"Why aren't you lying to me?" He decided to asked her. She turned around in her chair to look at him so this was probably serious.

"Look at where you are now and what keeping information from you caused." She had a point there. "I know you might now want to hear my apology right now and that you won't accept it but I am truly sorry for everything that happened between us."

"What's in the past can stay there."

"This doesn't have to change anything between us you know." He wished that was true. He wished that this was all just a bad dream and that he would wake up lying next to her.

"You betrayed me, Kurenai and Mirai so things will never be able to go back to how they were between us." This time she allowed herself to show some emotion. He could see the hurt and disappointment on her face.

"I'm sorry." She apologized again.

"Since you're in the spirit of telling the truth right now, I actually want to know something." Sakura readied herself for anything that Shikamaru was going to ask her. She did tell him the truth so far so it wasn't like she was going to change that right now.  
"The night we had dinner with mine, yours, Ino and Choji's family by my house, I walked you home that night and you tensed up. Which one of the tailed beasts were being targeted?" The confusion on her face was priceless. She probably didn't expect him to know about her little secret.  
"I know about your connection to the tailed beasts if that's what is confusing you." That should clear things up for her.

"How do you know?"

"I figured it out. Kakashi and Lady Tsunade just filled in the blanks for me." He casually answered her. "You didn't answer my question."

"Isobu, the Three Tailed Beast." Sakura informed him. Why was it always the three tails being targeted? Was it because he didn't have a jinchuriki? He's life must've been such a drag.

"Sasuke went to go save him?" Shikamaru continued probing.

"Yeah. That's why he wanted to talk to us when we stopped the bandits in the Land of Earth." That explained that at least.

"Sakura." Hinata's voice called her outside the room. It wasn't so much a cry for help than a beckoning call.

"I'll be back." Sakura said as she stood up from her chair then exited the room. Shikamaru released a sigh then thought about everything that was happening around him. He pieced together the information that Sakura just gave him with the information he already had to see if he could fill in the rest of the blank spaces he had. Every piece of the mystery was just about solved so the only thing that was still unknown was the group that caused this whole mess in the first place. He couldn't do anything about it right now so he trusted that everyone did their part now because he could only lie down and endure this. He was in so much pain right now that he was finding it hard to stay awake and not just give into it. At least it was a bearable pain now. It couldn't get any worse from here.

"Shikamaru, can you hear me?" That monotonous voice was unmistakable; Shino. Shikamaru opened his tired eyes then saw the Aburame leaning over him. He tried to respond but he couldn't find the energy to move any muscle in his body right now.  
"He's awake." Shino looked up at other people probably so he clearly wasn't the only one around right now.

"Can you tell the extent of the damage to his body?" An older female's voice, definitely seasoned and authoritative; Lady Tsunade perhaps.

"Looks like they damaged some of his nerves. Probably some muscle damage as well." Damn, that's worse than he expected but at least now he was going to have to take off from being a ninja for a while so he was going to have a long rest.

"You guys are the dumbest geniuses I've ever known." Yep, definitely Lady Tsunade.

"It was his plan. It was successful." Yes, that was all he needed to know. All this pain and suffering he was going through right now wasn't for nothing. His plan had worked.

"At what cost?" Lady Tsunade's anger was definitely coming through there but she needed a level head if she wanted to help him.  
"And don't reply to that or else I will punch you off your own creature." Yep, her anger was definitely evident. At least he could finally rest properly now. Everything worked out properly in the end.

"He's passing out again." Shino informed her.

"Shikamaru… Shikamaru, stay awake… don't close your eyes…" Her voice sounded so far away and drowned out. He could hardly make it out so he just let himself sleep. There was nothing more he needed to do anyway.

Shikamaru drifted in and out of consciousness for what seemed like an eternity. Every time he regained consciousness then he found himself in a different place, well different from the last place he remembered being. He still couldn't find the energy to talk or move any part of his body. Sometimes he woke up and didn't even see anyone. The one thing that kept him sane was the fact that he had completed his mission and everything worked out. He had nothing more to stress about.  
He thought he heard a baby's cry once when he woke up. It immediately reminded him of Mirai and it probably was her since he didn't know any other baby right now. He wondered how she and Kurenai were doing. Kurenai was probably out of hospital right now and back at his house so that his mother could take care of them. His mother, he forgot about her. She was probably going to murder him as well. Ino was definitely going to murder him for keeping this whole thing from her but he had good reason to. She was the queen of gossip in the village so she definitely couldn't keep a secret. Choji wouldn't really care if he really thought about it. His chubby best friend would probably be worried sick about him and definitely be wanting to make sure that he was alright but Choji wouldn't be as aggressive as Ino or Yoshino was bound to be. Why were females so… troublesome?

"You're going to have all the guys after you." He thought he heard Ino's voice as he woke up again. He slowly fluttered his eyes open but the light around instantly made him shut his eyes again.  
"Your mom is going to have to use her genjutsu and scare them all away or use it to interrogate them. I can also use my techniques to make sure that they're the right guy for you." Yep, that was definitely the Yamanaka Clan head. He tried opening his eyes again but this time he endured the light. His body was in pain but it wasn't as bad as it was anymore. He painfully turned his stiff neck to see where Ino's voice was coming from and saw that she was standing by the window with a baby in her arms, probably Mirai. He unsurprisingly found himself lying in the hospital and if Ino was holding Mirai in her arms then he definitely was back in Konoha again.

"I'm pretty sure that you're years too early to be saying that." Shikamaru's coarse voice immediately grabbed the blonde's attention. She turned to look at the patient lying on the hospital bed but she didn't have an angered expression ruling her face like he expected. She had a reluctant smile playing on her lips while her eyes looked like they were ready to release a flood of tears.

"She's already won the hearts of all the males that have seen her." Ino's reply put a weak smile on his face as she began making her way towards him.

"You and Kurenai better start preparing then." He saw tears begin their journey down her cheeks as she came to the side of his bed then bent down and hugged him. Her tears hit the cushion his head was resting on but he didn't care. She had to get through this without any judgement or snarky remarks from him right now and he was honestly glad that she was safe and so was Mirai.

"You're her big brother so you're going to have to deal with protecting her against guys as well." Ino replied as she stood back up and wiped away her tears with her free hand before securing Mirai again.

"She's going to be another troublesome girl." That got a short chuckle out of Ino as they turned their attention to the girl in her arms.

"Then we raised her properly." He couldn't help but feel glad about Ino's confidence in their ability to help Kurenai raise Mirai.  
"How are you feeling?" She finally decided to ask him as she sat down on the chair placed next to his bed. He was pretty sure that Kurenai or his mother used it most of the time while they were here which is why it was placed there.

"I'll survive. How are you doing?"

"I'm not the one stuck in a hospital." She snarkily replied but he found it amusing. This was the Ino he liked. She wasn't being tough or trying to get the upper hand and assert her dominance. She was just allowing herself to relax and let the conversation flow smoothly.

"You don't know what you're missing then." They released a short laugh creating a comfortable atmosphere around them.  
"Is she sleeping?"

"No. She just woke up a couple of minutes before you did. Her beautiful ruby eyes are staring at the world around her."

"She definitely has her mother's eyes."

"She looks a lot like her mother but definitely has her father's innocently cheerful nature."

"Sounds like terrible combination. She's going to have some terrifying abilities."

"You promised to be her teacher so that's your problem."

"A female would be a better teacher for her so you should do it."

"There's no way you're getting out of this lazy ass." Looks like the nickname Temari had given him was going to stay but he didn't mind it actually.

"Where's Kurenai and my mother?" He decided to change the topic. She clearly wasn't going to give in and he wasn't planning on letting someone else be her mentor as well so it was a pointless fight.

"They went to go get lunch or something." Ino informed him.

"Cho?" He noticed that she was a bit hesitant to answer him there. What was Choji doing?

"He and the other clan heads, village elders and leaders are discussing what they should do about Sakura and Naruto." He could hear the sadness in her tone of voice but he understood why she wasn't really happy about the situation. Sakura is her best friend but she betrayed her so she was probably having mixed feelings about what to do about their relationship now.

"Shouldn't you be there as well?" She was the current leader of her clan and a vital shinobi in the village as well so she should have a say in this as well.

"I chose not to. You and I are the only ones not in the meeting I guess." Yep, she probably didn't want to defend or attack Sakura right now.

"Choji will make the right decision for us then." Shikamaru stated as he sighed then looked up at the bland ceiling.

"Hey, can you move your arms and legs? Shino said that you might be paralyzed." That was a rather nonchalant way of asking an important life-changing question. He tried moving his arms and managed to lift them a little off the bed before dropping them down again. He moved his legs a little to the sides and wiggled his toes under the blankets so he clearly wasn't paralyzed but he definitely had one long freaking time to recover. Maybe even some possible physical therapy sessions was required as well.

"Not paralyzed yet it seems." Shikamaru told her.

"Yet?" She questioned him.

"I'm bound to do something even stupider next time." His reply got a laugh out of her again.

"Not if your mother has anything to say about it."

"She's probably going to forbid me from being a shinobi."

"She's definitely not going to allow you out of the house as well." Ino agreed causing both of them to laugh now.

"Everything seems cozy in here." That voice he definitely wasn't ready to hear yet; Kurenai. Where Kurenai went then his mother and possibly Ino's mother was bound to follow. This was definitely going to be a drag right now.

"Took you long enough to wake up." Yep, Yoshino entered the room after Kurenai. Lady Tsunade and Choji followed them so the meeting was probably over by now. He actually wondered what they decided to do with Naruto and Sakura.

"I thought I deserved a longer rest after the mission I had." Shikamaru explained but his mother's stern expression didn't change. She sighed as she neared him. Ino immediately stood up then made her way over to Kurenai and handed Mirai over to her.

"You're your father's son alright." Yoshino told her son then gave him a kiss on his forehead before hitting his head. "That's for worrying me."

"It's good to see you too mom." Shikamaru told her. He saw a smile flash across her face before he turned his attention to the other people in the room.

"How are you feeling Shikamaru?" Lady Tsunade asked him. She was more than likely the lead doctor on his case so she probably wasn't referring to his mental or emotional state.

"Lots of pain but no paralyses." He informed her.

"Good. Should teach you not to do stupid things like that again." Looks like the legendary Sanin didn't change since the last time they spoke.

"Any chance I am getting out of here today?" That got a scoff out of her but he wasn't really expecting anyone to allow him to leave any time this week.

"You have muscle and nerve damage, you probably can't even get out of bed right now." She was probably right and he definitely didn't even want to move right now.

"What about my chakra?"

"That's still perfectly intact. The insects needed your chakra to survive so they couldn't afford to damage your chakra network." That was good news. He could still activate his abilities but the muscle and nerve damage did bother him.

"The muscle and nerve damage, is it severe?" He asked the older kunoichi.

"Shizune and myself will come in everyday and try to repair it as much as possible but there's no guarantee that your body will go back to it's former state. Obviously there is no way I can clear you to be a shinobi right now and if we cannot successfully repair the damage done to your body then you might never be able to be an active shinobi ever again." He knew that this was a risk that he accepted when he began his plan so he couldn't blame anyone else for this except himself. In all honesty, he felt relieved. Lady Tsunade didn't say anything about him not being able to live a normal life which is always what he wanted so now it was being given to him on a silver platter. He was probably going to have to step down from most of his positions as a shinobi so this was kind of good news.

"But he could also be a shinobi again right?" Ino quickly asked Lady Tsunade.

"If we repair the damage then he will have to go for physical therapy first to get his body working normally then he'll have to be able to pass the physical exam for shinobi before I can clear him but that could also happen." Lady Tsunade confirmed.

"I'm alive. I'm here in the village right now with all of you so all in all, everything was a success." He hated that he had to be the optimistic one right now but someone had to be. Everyone looked like they were in mourning so he needed them to see the good news. Even Choji's usual smile had vanished off his face.

"Shikamaru's right. All of us are alive so we should keep moving forward. It can only get better from here." Kurenai agreed. She was probably the only one who could see his point of view right now since her condition also meant that she couldn't be an active shinobi anymore.

"I'll have one of the nurses bring you some medication for the pain Shikamaru and I will be back tomorrow to start healing you." Lady Tsunade informed him.

"Thank you Lady Tsunade." Shikamaru sincerely told her. She nodded in response then walked out of the room.

"Are you okay?" Yoshino asked her son.

"I actually am mom." Shikamaru was honest so he hoped his mother could see that and no continue probing.  
"The tablets I am going to take are probably going to knock me out again so I need you guys to update me on everything that happened since I left the village."

 **OKAY, SO THAT WASN'T ALL THE ANSWERS YOU WERE LOOKING FOR BUT THAT WAS A START. THE NEXT CHAPTER WILL EXPLAIN THE REST I HOPE. EVEN IF I HAVE TO PUT IT IN THESE STUPID AUTHOR'S NOTES. WHAT IS THE POINT OF AN AUTHOR'S NOTE ANYWAY? I JUST HAVE FUN AND WRITE MY OWN STUPID SH!T. IT'S FUN THOUGH. I'LL BE BACK WITH THE NEXT CHAPTER SOONER THAN YOU THINK SO UNTIL THEN, SEE YA…**


	29. Chapter 29

**HEY GUYS AND GIRLS, THIS IS ANOTHER QUICK CHAPTER THAT HOPEFULLY TIES UP ANY LOOSE ENDS. I THINK I MIGHT BE COMING TO AN END WITH THIS STORY SOON WHICH I AM A LITTLE SAD ABOUT BUT HOPEFULLY IT WILL END ON A GOOD NOTE. I STILL DON'T KNOW HOW IT'S GOING TO END SO I AM JUST AS MUCH IN THE DARK AS YOU GUYS AND GIRLS.**

 **HAPPY READING**

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Shikamaru asked Ino the next day. They found themselves in the Interrogation Unit's headquarters in the village after a lot of arguing which ultimately led to the Hokage having to make the final decision.

"Are you seriously doubting my abilities?" Ino replied as she began setting up the communication device, similar to the one that her father used during the war.

"Are you sure that you're up for this?" Yoshino asked her son as she pushed the wheelchair he was sitting on. Lady Tsunade had finished healing him for the day so they came straight from the hospital. He was in so much pain thanks to her healing but it was worth it. She said that it was working but that there was still a lot of work to go so this was just the start of his pain.

"I am. I need to do this." Shikamaru told him mom.

"Okay, I am ready." Ino sat down on a chair and placed the device on her head. Yoshino pushed her son in front of the troublesome blonde girl. He grabbed her hands then closed his eyes and focused. He went through this process with Ino already so he knew what to do. He just hoped that she was able to reach all the shinobi he needed her to reach or at least the Kage and Daimyo in each nation.  
"Everyone is listening, you may begin Shikamaru." She permitted him.

"Good afternoon to all the shinobi, Kage and Daimyo listening to my message right now. I am Shikamaru Nara. The reason I am transmitting this message to you is to address the recent joint mission that occurred. A group of rogue ninja made up of older shinobi from each land came together and decided that this peace could not last forever and recent events have led me to agree with them. This illusion of peace is fragile and easily broken. Their mission, however, was to steal the Treasured Tools of the Sage of the Six Paths and use that to harness the power of the Tailed Beasts so that they could rule and create a peace that would suit them. They targeted the Wind Nation first by starting a coup as a diversion in order to steal the treasured tool that the Kazekage was tasked with protecting. The Kazekage skillfully managed to foil them so a group of ninja then deserted their village. They then targeted the treasured tool in the Fire Nation by sending a group of bandits to attack a village close to the border of the nation as a diversion. The Hokage managed to stop their plan and drive them out of the nation before they could do anything else. I was then tasked to take the group of bandits down in a joint mission with shinobi from the Earth Nation. We successfully stopped them before they could do anymore damage but we were unable to identify the group of rogue ninja who began this in the first place. I arranged a meeting with all the Kage from each nation in order to discuss this matter and find out a way forward. I proposed the creation of a unified alliance between all five nations in the form of the Shinobi Union so that we could help each other and to stop groups like the rogue ninja from starting another gruesome war. In the meeting with the Kage, I learnt that Sasuke Uchiha had stolen the Shichiseiken from Kirigakure. We managed to track Sasuke down so a group of shinobi from Konohagakure including Naruto Uzamaki and Sakura Haruno went after him. Naruto and Sakura then deserted the village and joined Sasuke. I took it upon myself to retrieve the Shichiseiken and to bring them back to the village. Along with Shino Aburame, I was able to create a plan to retrieve the Shichiseiken, bring Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura back to the village, and take down the group of rogue ninja responsible for this whole mess in the first place. My plan was to move the treasured tools in each nation to a secure place outside their villages. My hope was to bait the rogue ninja and thankfully they took the bait. I asked the Mizukage to assist the Raikage in defending the Kohaku no Johei since that was the only treasured tool that was not targeted yet. While the transportation of the treasured tools were taking place, my team and I went to go retrieve the Shichiseiken from Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura. I knew that we would not be able to take them down so I asked Shino Aburame and Hinata Hyuga for help. Shino imbued a new type of insect into my body that would not only allow him to track me but also slowly poison anyone who touched me. Hinata agreed to join Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura as a double agent and to protect me when I ultimately stayed behind while I sent my team back to Konohagakure to continue my plan. Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura then looked after me which meant that they touched me and got poisoned so we just had to wait for the effects of the poison to activate. While that happened, the rogue ninja thankfully took the bait and went after the Kohaku no Johei. The shinobi from Kumogakure, Kirigakure and a team from Konohagakure managed to stop them and find the rogue ninja then take them down successfully. I instructed Shino to order a joint mission between all 5 nations to take down Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura when that was finished in case they managed to counter the effects of the poison. I was grateful to hear that all the nations agreed to it and managed to subdue the group in Otogakure. The entire mission as a whole was successful and each shinobi from their respective villages worked together perfectly and in sync with my plan and for that I thank you. Unfortunately the risk that I took with imbuing Shino's insects into my body took it's toll on me. Lady Tsunade and Shino managed to save me before my body couldn't handle it anymore but the damage was already done. As such, I am unable to fulfil my duties as a shinobi anymore so I am forced to step down from a few of my positions that I undertook. I cannot continue my role as the temporary leader of the Shinobi Union anymore and a member of the Shinobi Union as a whole so I resign and nominate that Darui from Kumogakure take over as the temporary leader until Kage can meet and agree on a permanent leader. I also nominate Shino Aburame to take over my role as a representative of Konohagakure. The unity that each nation displayed alongside each other to protect the peace that this group of rogue ninja threatened is the strength and conviction that will carry this peace forward in the future. I might not be able to help ensure that peace anymore so it's up to every shinobi listening to this to continue fighting for it. Our brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers died in the last war to create this peace so don't let their sacrifice down. It's our turn now and the Shinobi Union is a step in the right direction. I once again thank all of you for your help and for believing in my plan." Shikamaru released Ino's hands and immediately took a deep breath.

"That was a rather abrupt ending." Ino stated while she took the communication device off her head.

"They already listened to my long and boring speech so I didn't want to continue their torture anymore." Shikamaru replied as he looked around but didn't see his mother anymore.

"Looks like your mom couldn't listen to it anymore as well." Ino joked as she stood up.

"She should be used to it already."

"Clearly not." He couldn't help but smile as she had a smile on her face now as well.

"Can you push me to the Hokage's office?" He asked Ino but she looked confused.

"Shouldn't you go back to the hospital? Can you even work right now?" Ino asked but made her way around him and began wheeling him out of the room.

"I'm actually planning on resigning from work."

"Really? Why?"

"I can't really be an advisor to the Hokage when I can't even look after myself right now."

"Yeah but once you get your strength back then you can still help him. He hardly leaves the village anyway so the two of you can still work together."

"There's no guarantee that I will get my strength back and if I do get it back then we don't know to what degree. It's best if I resign now rather than give anyone false hope." They exited the building and the cool breeze immediately swept across him. He enjoyed it now more than ever since he was probably going to be confined to the hospital most of the time.

"But…"

"Ino, it's okay. I am still going to be here. I am not going anywhere so you'll still be able to boss me around." That left a reluctant smile on her face.

"Shikamaru, Ino." Shino suddenly appeared next to them while they slowly made their way to the Hokage Tower.

"Hey Shino." Shikamaru greeted him.

"I'm not talking to you. You weren't supposed to let this idiot do stupid things. You were supposed to be the smart one." Ino suddenly told him but Shikamaru couldn't help laughing at that. Ino's outburst was definitely not going to faze the Aburame so she could throw as much insults as she wants to at him and he still wouldn't change his expression.

"Ignore her Shino, what's up?" Shikamaru asked him.

"You appointed me as your replacement in the Shinobi Union." He didn't think that Shino would have a problem with that.

"Sorry I didn't inform you about that before. I couldn't appoint anyone else and I trusted you to make the best decisions for this village and the shinobi realm as a whole."

"Are you planning on returning to the Shinobi Union when you get better?" This is probably what Shino really wanted to know. He didn't want to be a placeholder until Shikamaru returned.

"That is up to the Kage but honestly, you're a better representative than I am. If they do want me to be part of the Shinobi Union then they're going to have to take both of us. I do think we've proven to work well together." Shikamaru felt proud about that fact and he hoped that Shino did too. It wouldn't kill him to show some sort of emotion every once in a while.

"If poisoning yourself and nearly dying is a great plan then you guys are the perfect team." Ino commented. Looks like she couldn't help but have something to say.

"Are the bad guys taken down and everything is back to how they are supposed to be?" Shikamaru shot back.

"I think I liked you better when you were unconscious." Ino knew she had lost there and he had to admit, it felt good getting the upper hand over the Yamanaka.

"Thank you for all your help with this whole mess Shino. I literally couldn't do this without you." Shikamaru told him. Shino gave him a nod in response. He definitely wasn't a man of many words but his actions seemed to speak volumes.

"I'll see you guys around the village." Shino awkwardly greeted them then disappeared.

"I know Shino is our friend and all but he is weird." Ino stated as they reached the Hokage Tower.

"So are you. He just embraces." They entered the building as Shizune made her way towards them.

"Whatever." Ino replied.

"Good afternoon Shizune." Shikamaru greeted her but she immediately stared him down.

"Why are you not in the hospital?" So that's what Shizune was angry about.

"This is where I take my leave. Shizune-sama, make sure that this idiot doesn't do anything stupid please." Ino replied then turned around and left them.

"I just need to speak to Kakashi. It's about the message I sent out." That softened her angered expression.

"You resigned from the Shinobi Union." Shizune made her way behind him then began pushing the wheelchair.

"Yeah. I was forced to seeing as I can't be a shinobi right now and I was only the temporary leader until this whole thing was sorted out and now that it is sorted out, the Kage can pick a permanent leader." Shikamaru explained.

"How did today go with Lady Tsunade?"

"Painful. When she said that she was going to be repairing my body, she forgot to mention that it would feel like I was going through hell."

"What did you expect? She's basically regrowing layers of tissue under your skin so it's going to hurt."

"Can't you do it rather? I'm sure you can do it gentler than Lady Tsunade." If Lady Tsunade could do it then Shizune should also be able to do it. She didn't unlock the Hundred Seals like Sakura but she was still an amazing medic-nin in her own right.

"No matter who does it, it is still going to hurt." That didn't make him feel any better. "You shouldn't be outside the hospital though. Your body is susceptible to diseases now more than ever."

"Then it's a good thing that you're here." He couldn't see Shizune's reaction but he was sure that she rolled her eyes at that.

"As soon as we're finished here, I am taking you straight back to the hospital." Shizune informed him.

"Yes ma'am." Shikamaru agreed as they stopped in front of Kakashi's office. Shizune went to the door and immediately opened it without knocking. The silver haired Hokage was probably alone in his office but when Shizune wheeled him inside the room they saw that Kakashi was joined by his 3 former students; Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura.

"Oh, I didn't know you had company." Shizune said as all their eyes turned to the lazy ninja sitting in the wheelchair.

"We can wait in my office." Shikamaru told Shizune.

"It's okay. What do you need Shikamaru?" Kakashi asked him. He was hesitant to say what he wanted to say in front of his former students but he didn't care anymore. The three of them were exonerated from all their crimes and returned to their ninja duties so they were bound to hear his news sooner or later.

"I am going to be in the hospital for the foreseeable future and I may never be able to be an active shinobi again so I am forced to step down as your advisor for now." Shikamaru gave the Hokage the news but his expression was as emotionless as Shino's. It didn't help that both of them hid most of their faces as well. Maybe he should get himself a mask or something to cover his face so that no one could see what he was feeling.

"What do you mean that you may never be able to be an active shinobi again?" Naruto quickly asked him.

"I have extensive muscle and nerve damage." Shikamaru bluntly answered him. "I might never even be able to leave this wheelchair." Okay, he knew that was a bit of an exaggeration but it was still a possibility.

"But Lady Tsunade can heal you right? She can make more cells for you like she did for my arm." At least Naruto was optimistic about it and he cared still but Shikamaru wasn't buying any of it.

"Your right to care disappeared when you deserted the village." He knew that his words would hurt Naruto but he wasn't going to sugarcoat what he felt for the 3 of them right now. He wouldn't go as far as to say that he hated them but he wasn't going to deny that he would rather he never saw them again.

"Shikamaru…" Sakura said his name but he immediately stopped her.

"No, you guys don't get the chance to say anything to me." Shikamaru sternly told them.

"I'm sorry Shikamaru but you have to see it from our point of view. We did what we had to do to protect the shinobi realm from being subjected to another war." Sakura told him.

"And in that process you stepped on anyone you needed to and threw away all your relationships."

"We protected the village." Naruto's word immediately angered Shikamaru.

"What you guys did was selfish. If you wanted to protect the village then you would've come to Kakashi and myself for help but you guys thought that you could do it all on your own. Just because you guys are three of the most powerful shinobi right now does not mean that you can do whatever the hell you want to do. You need to use that power that you were given in the right way and for the right purposes and if you can't do that then there's no way I can support you being the Hokage one day. I will make sure that you aren't even considered as a candidate if I have to because you don't deserve it." He didn't know where that came from but he was damn sure going to stand behind his words right now.

"You know as much as anyone that Naruto is worthy of being the Hokage." Sasuke stated.

"Why are you even speaking right now? You abandoned this village and made it pretty clear that you didn't want to come back. We tried to give you a home and be your family but you threw all our effort in our faces. I do admire that you owned your betrayal and that you accepted the consequences but that doesn't mean that you suddenly have a voice in this village." Shikamaru definitely didn't have to dig deep to find those words and throw it at Sasuke. No matter how much he tried to ignore what Sasuke did, he had this deep seeded hatred in his heart because of how the mission to retrieve him ended.

"Please stop Shikamaru." Sakura told him.

"Don't speak to me ever again. You had your chance to speak to me so now you can just do me a favor and stay out of my life." Why did his those words feel like it broke his heart all from over? He hated feeling this way but he meant it. He didn't want to see her right now and he doubted that he ever would want to see her again. Her tear filled eyes didn't evoke any reaction out of him. She didn't hold any power over him anymore.  
"Shizune, can you take me back to the hospital please?"

"Sure." Shizune agreed then quickly turned him around and wheeled him out of the room. He probably ruined his relationship with the 3 of them but he still didn't care. They were free to do whatever they wanted to do now so he hoped that whatever they did didn't include him.

 **OKAY THEN, THAT WAS A RATHER HARSH CHAPTER IF I CAN PUT IT THAT WAY BUT AT LEAST WE GOT OUR ANSWERS. I KIND OF UNDERSTAND WHAT SHIKAMARU IS GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW BUT I DON'T REALLY SUPPORT HIM WANTING TO THROW AWAY HIS FRIENDS LIKE THAT. I MEAN, HE AND SAKURA WERE KIND OF IN A RELATIONSHIP SO THOSE FEELINGS CAN'T JUST DISAPPEAR RIGHT? I DON'T KNOW ANYMORE, WE'LL JUST HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER. UNTIL THEN GUYS AND GIRLS, SEE YA…**


	30. Chapter 30

**HEY GUYS AND GIRLS, I AM BACK WITH ANOTHER STUPID CHAPTER. I HOPE YOU GUYS DON'T HATE ME FOR THE LONG WAIT OR FOR THE OTHER STUPID CHAPTERS BEFORE THIS ONE BUT I AM HERE SO THAT HAS TO COUNT FOR SOME RIGHT? ANYWAY, THANKS FOR ALL THE SUPPORT AND FOR THE REVIEWS. I HOPE THAT YOU GUYS ARE STILL FOLLOWING THE STORY AND KIND OF GET WHAT HAPPENED.**

 **HAPPY READING**

"Are you sure that you don't need anything Shikamaru?" Naruto's irritating voice asked him as he sat on a couch in his lounge and fed Mirai in his arms.

"Why can't you just leave me alone Naruto?" Shikamaru shot back. He kept his eyes fixed on the child in his arms who was nursing the bottle he held for her.

"Because you're my friend and you need help Shikamaru." There's the problem, he hardly considered the blonde ninja a 'friend' anymore. He appreciated Naruto's effort to rebuild their friendship but all he wanted him to do was to leave him alone. He didn't need Naruto's help. Hell, he didn't even want to accept Choji's help most of the time.

"He's just being stubborn Naruto. Thank you for your help today." Kurenai stated as she sat on the couch adjacent to his. She was reading a book but he could see that she was also keeping an eye on him while he fed her child. He didn't blame her for being worried though. He hardly had his strength back in his body and was still subjected to a wheelchair at times so she had a reason to be worried.

"No problem Kurenai-sensei." Naruto happily replied as he gave the older kunoichi a smile. "I have to go but call me anytime if you need my help."

"I will." Kurenai clearly had more patience for the energetic ninja than Shikamaru had. Now that he thought about it, how did he manage to put up with the Uzamaki all these years? Most of the time they hung out with their other friends then they ended up getting into trouble and or he was made to do something that he really didn't want to do. Naruto had just been a pain in his ass really so why the hell did he keep him around?  
"You should forgive him." Kurenai suddenly snapped him out of his thoughts and back to reality. He looked around and saw that Naruto had left so it was only the three of them left in the lounge.

"He doesn't deserve it." Shikamaru was always blunt and emotionless when it came to talking about Naruto, Sasuke or Sakura ever since his last mission but he still couldn't forgive them for what they did. He understood why Sasuke did it and had no problem doing it. He didn't forgive Sasuke but he did understand. Sasuke had left the village a couple of weeks after Shikamaru addressed them so he didn't know where the Uchiha was or what he was doing but he honestly didn't care. Naruto and Sakura had begun repairing their relationships with the rest of their friends and recently he heard that they had become even bigger stars in the village by helping out around the villages when they had time. He didn't care about that either but Naruto had taken it upon himself to force his friendship onto Shikamaru who stubbornly pushed it away. He hadn't seen Sakura since the day in Kakashi's office and he appreciated that she was respecting his wish of staying out of his life. Why couldn't Naruto be more like Sakura?

"He's literally been helping everyone around the village and he has been repairing his relationships with everyone in the village and other shinobi outside the village. I'm pretty sure that they're ready to name him as the Hokage. The only problem standing in his way is you." Kurenai clearly wasn't holding back her judgement there but he would be a hypocrite if he had to stop her since he was judging Naruto and Sakura the same.

"Divine justice then. The one person they should've trusted to help them is standing in their way."

"They started this cycle and look how you ended up. Even your stubborn brain has to see that you're the only person that can stop this cycle before someone else ends up like you." Her words left him speechless. He had been thinking about the exact same thing lately. They say that violence only breeds more violence and so too does hatred, fighting, lies, secrets and all the other negative aspects of being human and right now he was part of that. If he continued this cycle then someone else was going to end up resenting him and not asking him for help which could land them in hot water and he didn't want to be blamed for that. He didn't want to be the cause of someone else's downfall.

"You should probably burp her, I'm not fully capable yet." Shikamaru turned their attention to the baby in his arms. Kurenai closed her book then gently grabbed her child and began the burping process.

"You're starting your physical therapy tomorrow. Shizune and Lady Tsunade did their best to heal you so don't let their work be for nothing."

"I didn't go through 7 weeks of hell to stop here." Shikamaru was confided to the hospital for 7 weeks after he woke up. Lady Tsunade or Shizune came in every single day like clockwork to repair his nerve and muscle damage and it hurt like hell but he was able to endure it and come out on the other side. The bright side was that he didn't have to stay in the hospital anymore so he moved back home a couple of months ago but his mother didn't allow him to climb the stairs yet so he couldn't get to his room. He was stuck in the room opposite the one Kurenai and Mirai were staying in until Ino was finished getting the Sarutobi Compound ready to house them. He was pretty sure that Konohamaru was regretting his decision to let Ino give the compound a whole makeover but he was glad that Ino was taking this whole thing seriously and putting a lot of thought into this.

"At least you have control of all your limbs so it's just your functioning and endurance that you have to work on."

"I just want to be able to walk without a cane again. That's my first goal."

"You can hardly walk with a cane right now."

"That's why I have to work on it."

"Guys, lunch is ready." Yoshino informed them as she entered the room. Shikamaru grabbed the sturdy but elegant wooden cane then slowly stood up. He didn't know what being old felt like but he was sure that this was pretty much how it was going to be.  
"Come on old man, we don't have all day." His mother teased him as he approached the table. Kurenai was already seated with Mirai in her arms. Yoshino took her seat opposite the Kunoichi with the child in her arms so the head of the table was reserved for Shikamaru. That was his seat ever since he came home from the hospital so he guessed that this was his mother's way of finally accepting and approving his role as the leader of the clan. He had been rather hands on with clan business while he was in the hospital so it was only natural.

"With all that grey hair peeking through, I am definitely the only old person here." Shikamaru shot back as he sat down.

"It's wisdom, something you're sorely lacking." He found himself smiling at that. He was beginning to love this challenging side of his mother but he knew that she still had her demonic side so he didn't dare cross the line.

"I don't think that's what I'm lacking." He replied.

"Intelligence and wisdom are two different things. You have the intelligence part but definitely not the wisdom." He had to admit, he agreed with his mother there but he didn't think that he lacked it that much. He just wasn't as experienced as the 2 kunoichi sitting around the table.

"Sounds like a drag. I'd rather eat." He replied as he began dishing some food onto his plate then began eating.

"It's been a while since I've heard you say something is a drag. Seems like someone is growing up." Kurenai commented.

"Now that you mention it, he hasn't called us troublesome either." His mother added. This is one part he hated about Kurenai and his mother living under one roof, when they teamed up then they were unstoppable.

"Do you guys miss it?" He asked them.

"No, this is much more peaceful. Now we just have to get rid of your laziness." Kurenai answered him.

"I actually have a valid reason to lay around and do nothing right now." He pointed out.

"True but that doesn't mean that you shouldn't exercise especially now when you're going to begin your physical therapy." Yoshino stated.

"Like I told Kurenai earlier, I just want to be able to walk without a cane."

"That's a pretty low bar, even for you."

"It's realistic. Once I reach that goal then I can move onto the next one."

"Which is?"

"Running I guess."

"You running?" Kurenai nearly burst into laughter as she said that. He had to forgive her for that. He wasn't called 'Lazy Ass' for nothing.

"Hey, I ran to the hospital to inform Shizune about the situation the night you fell." He pointed out.

"I just made you do that so that you can get out of mine and Sakura's way." Yoshino informed her son.

"So you sent me on a fool's errand." He wasn't exactly hurt by that but it couldn't hurt playing the victim especially when his mother and Kurenai were teaming up.

"From what Sakura and your mother told me about that night, you were basically useless." Kurenai clearly didn't care if he was the victim or not.

"More like a petrified zombie." And neither did his mother care for that matter. There was just no winning with the two of them.

"I was just worried about Kurenai and Mirai, nothing wrong with that." He defended himself.

"You were so out of it that I wanted to check your pulse to make sure that you were still alive at one point." His mother was probably exaggerating that but he knew that it probably wasn't far from the truth. He felt like time was just an illusion and that someone put him in a genjutsu because there was no way time could drag like that.

"Like I said, I was just worried." All he wanted right now was for this to end. He was nearly finished with his food as well so he only had to endure this for a couple of more minutes. Suddenly a knock on the door grabbed their attention. Maybe he didn't have to endure this for a couple of more minutes depending on who was at the door.  
"I'll get it." He quickly offered as he cleaned his hands then grabbed his cane.

"You can hardly walk so sit down and eat your food, I'll get it." Yoshino stopped him as she stood up.

"You offering to get the door? You certainly did change." Kurenai stated as they heard his mother have a conversation with whoever was by the door.

"Have to get back on my feet in order to be lazy again." He replied.

"And as usual, your logic can only be understood by you." Suddenly his mother made her way back to the table followed by their guest, Shiho. She was actually the last person he expected to see today. What could the cryptanalyst want with him right now? Maybe she wasn't even here for him.

"You have a visitor Shikamaru." His mother cleared that up for him.

"H-hi Shikamaru." Shiho nervously greeted him. She was like Hinata when she was still pining after Naruto and it was clear that Shiho was very fond of the Nara as well so that explained her behavior but it still irritated him.

"Good afternoon Shiho, what can I do for you?" Shikamaru asked the girl. He noticed that she didn't have anything in her hands so he was definitely interested in the reason for her visit.

"I n-need your help." This sounded promising.

"Deciphering another code to find a message?"

"Yeah." He hadn't had a challenge like that in a while and if Shiho needed his help then it was definitely something he could sink his teeth into.

"Where is it?" The sudden question made her nervous for some reason. What was she hiding?

"Um… could we go somewhere?" She shyly asked him.

"Go with her already Shikamaru. Don't just leave her standing there." Kurenai's reply definitely made him want to leave. It was either leave with Shiho or continue to endure lunch with two of the most troublesome women in his life so it was an easy decision for him.

"Fine." Shikamaru slowly pushed himself up off his chair then grabbed his cane and made his way around the table to Shiho.  
"I'll be back later." Shikamaru lazily told them then turned around and began hobbling out of his house with Shiho following shortly behind him. They made their way into the surprisingly calm street but he knew why there weren't many people outside; the weather was considerably cold.  
"Where are we headed to Shiho?" He turned to the blonde beside him as she readjusted her glasses.

"I don't know. Somewhere we can talk and won't be disturbed." A few places immediately crossed his mind but there was one in particular that he actually wanted to go to right now.

"There's a coffee shop close to here that we can go to. Not many ninja go there so it's not likely that we will be disturbed and they have great dango." He suggested.

"Okay." She agreed. She had a faint blush across her cheeks but he ignored it. He did see a problem though. The coffee shop was a good distance away for the state his body was in right now and he didn't want to strain himself. There was only one troublesome solution that was sure to cause more harm than good if anyone saw them.

"Shiho, do you mind helping walk?" He was a little nervous as he asked that question.

"H-how?" She was clearly just as nervous.

"Hook your arm around my free one for support." She silently did as she was instructed and hooked her arm around his. She was the perfect height for it. She reached just above his shoulders so she wasn't exactly tall or short.

"Like this?"

"Perfect." They began walking to their destination with Shikamaru directing them. He had to admit, he missed having an afternoon stroll like this. He had been cooped up in the hospital for over a month so he definitely appreciated this.  
"How have you been?" He suddenly asked her before their silence could become unbearable. He could feel her tense up a bit so he definitely caught her off guard but she quickly gathered herself.

"I'm good." She answered. "How are you doing?"

"I've been better." His reply left a smile on her face so he was glad that he could lighten the mood for them.

"I heard that you were out of the hospital so what is the next step?"

"Going to start the rehabilitation process. Hopefully it isn't as painful as the healing because I felt like Lady Tsunade and Shizune were killing me."

"They saved you though and you are back on your feet."

"Barely." He released a bit of a laugh there and he could see that she still had a smile plastered on her face.

"Are you going to become a shinobi again?"

"I don't know. I first want to get my body back to its normal functionality. After that we'll see. If not then I can always ask you for a job. We work well together I suppose." Her blush definitely became a darker shade now.

"Y-yes." She stuttered. They continue on their journey and made it to the coffee shop close to the edge of the village. They looked around the nearly empty shop but didn't see any of their friends or anyone they knew so they made their way to a booth close to a window that looked out at the vast array of trees inside the village. They gave their order to the waitress then turned their attention back to each other.

"So, what's the code you need help with?" Shikamaru became a little focused and waited for her to explain the situation. Suddenly she took out a scroll and rolled it out in front of her. She did a few hand signs then activated the scroll and a small pile of papers immediately appeared on the desk along with a couple of pens and a notebook.

"I found these encrypted messages in one of the archived Third Shinobi War folders. I wanted to decode them and figure out who was sending these and see if there was something about that war that we might have missed." Shiho handed a couple of pages to Shikamaru then grabbed a pen.  
"I've been trying to decipher them for weeks but I've never seen anything like this." He analyzed the pages and understood why Shiho couldn't understand it. It looked like a lot of nonsense on the pages but he saw something that stood out to him and actually looked familiar.

"It's a Hand Print, well that's what we called it." He informed her but he could see the confusion on her face.

"What is a 'Hand Print'?" He tried to think of a way to explain but he couldn't think of anyway to explain that will leave her left without any questions.

"It's better if I show you. May I?" He motioned to her things lying on the table and she nodded her head in agreement. He grabbed the notebook and a pen and immediately began scribbling in a secret message that looked like the same nonsense that was written on the pages she had given him. He gave her book back to her once he was finished so that she could analyze it.  
"Can you understand it?"

"No." She casually replied.

"That's because you need the key. Unlike other encrypted messages, a Hand Print only uses 10 or less letters to send a message. You pick your 10 letters and that's the only ones you'll use."

"How do you know which letters are used then?"

"Give me your left hand." He instructed her. She hesitantly offered her hand across the table so he connected his right hand to hers and intertwined her soft fingers with his more rough ones.

"What are you doing?" She suddenly asked him as he used his left hand and began writing on her fingers just above her nails. He saw the sudden flash of nervousness on her face before she became shy again. She definitely was a strange character but he enjoyed her company.

"Just relax. I'm nearly finished." Suddenly their waiter appeared and placed their tea on the table in front of them and a plate of dango between them. The dango smelled heavenly and definitely made him want some.  
"Do you mind giving me some?" He politely asked her as he motioned to the dango on the table. Her face immediately looked nervous and as red as a tomato. He could see her hand shaking as she picked up the chopsticks but he ignored her and continued what he was doing. Her reaction was just a little too troublesome for him to deal with.  
Eventually, she managed to pick up a piece of piece and present it to him. He stopped what he was doing and immediately open his mouth to receive the delicious treat. It tasted just as amazing as it smelled but suddenly a knock on the window grabbed their attention. He saw the last person he expected to see standing outside the small tea shop with her arms folded across her chest and an intrigued look on her face; Ino. She walked away from the window but he could see that she was making her way to the entrance to come talk to them. Somehow he knew that this was just bound to turn into something major that it wasn't intended to be.

"So how long has this been going on and why am I only finding out about this now?" Ino asked them as she down next to Shiho.

"Nothing is going on Ino, go away." He loved his blonde teammate but damn, she was annoying at times. Actually, she was annoying most of the time.

"So this isn't a date?" Ino asked them but turned to look at Shiho for an answer. Shiho was to scared to speak so she quickly shook her head.

"You're scaring her, go away." Shikamaru replied again.

"Okay. You two can continue your date but you're not off the hook yet Shikamaru." Yep, this definitely meant more irritating work for him. Ino stood up and happily hummed as she walked away and out of the shop.

"Sorry about that, she's nosy and probably going to start gossiping about us now." He didn't know why he was apologizing but he just felt like he had to.

"It's okay, it's not your fault." Why was Shiho still so nervous? It was irritating him. He finished writing on their fingers while she ate a piece of dango. Ino's presence definitely ruined his appetite for the sweet treat.

"I've written the key on our fingers. Each letter on our fingers relates to a letter written down. Because there are 10 letters, usually the first 10 letters written in the encrypted message will relate to a letter on the key. I made it easy for you so I wrote the key letter at the bottom and the letter it relates to in the message on top. Now you just have to figure out what the message is." He handed her pen back to her as she worked through all the information she just received.

"Okay, I think I got it." It took a couple of minutes but she easily deciphered the messaged. "This is how its made." She read out the message.

"Exactly. Now you know how it works." He triumphantly told her then released her hand.

"This is actually pretty cool. I've never heard of this though. It's not in any of the books I've read."

"I didn't think it would be in any of your coding books. I read about it in a story book when I was younger so that how I found out about it. It's not exactly a practical way to send encrypted messages but if it's used properly then it can be extremely difficult like the one you're struggling with." Her attention immediately turned to the encrypted pages she handed me earlier and looked like she was trying to find the key. It was honestly a lot of pages and words where the key could be hidden in so he didn't really expect her to find it especially if however sent it was highly skilled.

"I can't find the key." She sounded defeated and disappointed so she handed it to Shikamaru to figure out again. He looked over the first page to try and figure it out and immediately saw a pattern. He checked through the rest of the pages to confirm it.

"They used the first letter of every line. It's 10 different letters each time then it repeats itself over and over." He handed it back over to her so that she could see. Her face immediately lit up as she confirmed it.

"I see it now Shikamaru. Thank you so much for your help." Shiho was sincere as she gathered her pages. Was she seriously planning on leaving right now?

"Glad I could help. Gave me a reason to get out of the house as well." Suddenly her things got sucked back into the scroll before she rolled it up again.

"I have to go figure this out." Shiho said as she stood up.

"What about your tea? Don't you at least want to finish it?" She didn't even take a sip of her tea yet.

"Next time. Goodbye Shikamaru." She made her way towards the exit so he sighed and decided to look out of the window.

"Girls are such a drag." He muttered to himself as he watched the trees wrestling with the slight breeze in the air.

"Hi Sakura." He heard Shiho outside the tea shop. He hoped that Sakura didn't come in. He hoped that she was just walking past or that Shiho had greeted a different Sakura. There was sure to be more than one girl named Sakura in the village right? It wasn't impossible.

"Hey Shikamaru." And yet there was only one Sakura whose voice he could never forget.

 **SO THAT WAS A BORING BUT INTERESTING CHAPTER. I AM GOING TO BE HONEST WITH YOU GUYS AND GIRLS; I DO NOT KNOW WHERE I AM GOING WITH THIS STORY ANYMORE. ONE OF MY FRIENDS IS TELLING ME TO MAKE SHIKASAKU BURN TO THE GROUND AND THE OTHER IS TELLING ME TO JUST LET THEM BE HAPPY. I AM CONFLICTED SO IF YOU GUYS WANT TO HAVE A SAY THEN YOU'RE WELCOME TO SEND ME A MESSAGE OR PUT IT IN A REVIEW. OTHER THAN THAT, I'LL BE BACK SOON SO SEE YA…**


	31. Chapter 31

**HEY GUYS AND GIRLS. THANKS FOR YOUR FEEDBACK AND I'VE TAKEN IT INTO CAREFUL CONSIDERATION. I HAVE MADE MY DECISION BUT I CANNOT REVEAL ANYTHING JUST YET. HOPEFULLY YOU GUYS AND GIRL WILL LIKE IT AND NOT WANT TO KILL ME ANYMORE. IF YOU DO WANT TO KILL ME THEN YOU'LL PROBABLY SUCCEED BECAUSE I WON'T REALLY PUT UP MUCH OF A FIGHT ANYWAY.**

 **HAPPY READING**

"I thought you were supposed to be on a hot romantic date with Shiho." Sakura sat down opposite him where Shiho was sitting a moment ago before she ran away. Honestly, he really didn't want to see Sakura right now or ever. She had been doing a great job of staying out of his life since their last encounter so why did that suddenly have to change right now?

"Ino misread the situation." Why did he defend himself against her? Especially since she broke his heart so badly that he doubted he was worthy of ever being loved again.

"So Shiho wasn't feeding you while you held hands?" She continued probing, why? Did she think they were friends again?

"Like I said, Ino misread the situation." He grabbed his cooling tea and took a sip of the still hot liquid.

"Why don't you explain the situation to me then?" She grabbed Shiho's tea then decided to take sip of it but he could see that she didn't like it. "That's bitter."

"Not everyone likes it weak and sweet." He commented.

"Besides the two of us." She added some more sugar to the tea then stirred it but still looked at him. "You didn't answer my question."

"Why are you here Sakura?" He decided to ask her instead.

"I wanted to talk to you about Naruto." He didn't expect her to say that of all things.

"What about Naruto?"

"He's suffered enough and he won't stop until you give him your approval. Even if everyone wants Naruto to become Hokage, he won't be happy and he probably won't accept it if you don't forgive him and give him your approval."

"Why does he want my approval? He doesn't need it. Like you said, everyone else wants him to be the Hokage so the Daimyo will probably give in to their request."

"But he needs you."

"So when Sasuke isn't around then suddenly I'm good enough for you guys?"

"Just shut the hell up about that already. I'm sorry about what happened and so is Naruto and we have apologized about it over and over again but we're done apologizing. It's time you move on and it's time we move on as well. You said that you wanted to make a better life for Mirai to grow up in so tell me who's better than Naruto to lead this village right now."

"I am." That immediately left Sakura speechless. She clearly didn't expect him to answer her, especially if his answer was to nominate himself. "Why are you so surprised? Do you think I can't be the Hokage?"

"It's just never something you've wanted to achieve."

"Who do you think would be the best Hokage then?" A long silence followed but he could see that it wasn't because she was thinking of an answer but because she knew that whatever answer she gave, she would be betraying either him or Naruto.  
"We're finished talking then." Shikamaru said then slowly began making his way out of the booth. He could see that Sakura wanted to say something but she decided not to. He grabbed his cane and hobbled out of the tea shop. He wanted to put as much distance between himself and Sakura right now. She kind of spoilt his afternoon so he just wanted to get home and go sleep.

"If you let her sleep so much then she's going to become just as lazy as you are." Kurenai stated the next morning as he laid on a couple of thick blankets in front of the fireplace and read one of his father's reports. Mirai was peacefully sleeping next to him with a thin blanket over her since the fire provided over enough heat for them despite the chilling weather outside the house.

"I'm leaving in a couple of hours. I was going to wake her up and let you and my mother deal with her then." He absentmindedly replied.

"Naruto didn't come around today." He noticed that as well. Naruto had becoming to his house ever since he got home to see if he or Kurenai needed help with anything but today he didn't show up. Shikamaru didn't think anything of it, he was just glad that he didn't have to deal with the blonde's irritating guilt today.

"Maybe he's busy."

"I saw him in Ichiraku with Kakashi and Sakura this morning."

"Maybe Kakashi was finally giving them a mission to do outside the village or maybe they were just catching up. There are so many other possibilities as to why he didn't come around today." This conversation was irritating him. All he wanted to do was just lie in front of the fireplace and read over some of his father's old reports. It made him feel closer to his father and he enjoyed seeing the similarities between the way they did their reports.

"What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything. I didn't see Naruto since he left here yesterday."

"I'm pretty sure that you did something."

"You'll have to ask him that." Suddenly a knock on the door drew their attention. Kurenai decided to make her way to the door and thankfully left Shikamaru to continue his reading. He hoped that whoever was at the door would keep Kurenai company so that she didn't come disturb him again. His mother went out in the forest to get some herbs that they needed so she probably wouldn't be back for a couple of hours.

"You have a hell of a lot of explaining to do." Just one day, that's all he wanted. Just one god damned day without Ino ruining it. He frustratingly lowered the pages in his hands then looked up and saw his teammates standing over him.

"Morning Cho." He greeted the chubby ninja who was munching on his favorite chips as usual.

"Morning Shikamaru." Choji happily returned his greeting with a smile on his face. At least they were happy to see each other. Ino on the other hand looked ready to murder Shikamaru.

"So Ino, what did I do wrong now?" He turned his attention to the angry blonde in the room again. He noticed that Kurenai was sitting down on a couch so she was clearly interested in this conversation now as well.

"You want to become the Hokage." So that's what this was about. Looks like Sakura and Ino was tighter than ever.

"What?" Kurenai asked as she stood up then made her way over to them now. "When did you decide this?"

"When he and Sakura had their little tea date yesterday." Yep, this was Ino blowing it out of proportion again. It was best to just let her get whatever she wanted to say out of her system before she asked any more questions. Hopefully all her talking would tire her out.

"He left here with Shiho so when did he meet Sakura?" Kurenai asked Ino. The two of them were clearly engrossed in their conversation and not paying attention to anyone else anymore. He felt Mirai move next to him so he turned on his side and immediately made sure that she was comfortable and kept sleeping. He lightly patted her and she slowly went back to sleep. He heard another knock on the door so Choji decided to go answer it since Kurenai and Ino were still blatantly talking about him like he wasn't there. He wasn't going to fight them on it though. He knew better than to get involved in that conversation right now.

"Good morning everyone." A voice suddenly interrupted them. They turned around then saw Kakashi, Naruto and Sakura join them in the room behind Choji.

"Hey guys, we were just talking about you." Kurenai went over to Kakashi and give him a hug. It was a bit unusual to see the silver haired Hokage being hugged by someone and actually returning the hug. It probably shouldn't be as weird as it seemed since they were childhood friends and grew up together just like he, Choji, Ino, Sakura and Naruto did. His eyes suddenly fell on Sakura who smiled as she looked at him. He couldn't help but feel an ounce of happiness enter his heart as he gazed upon her genuine smile.

"Really?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah. I saw the three of you in Ichiraku this morning when I walked past." Kurenai explained.

"What are you guys doing here?" Ino asked them.

"We wanted to talk to Shikamaru." Kakashi stated.

"What a coincidence, we also wanted to talk to Shikamaru." Ino's words immediately forced everyone's attention on him.

"You know, all I wanted to do right now was go over this report in peace." Shikamaru informed them.

"This is important. Can we sit on the couch?" He knew that Kakashi asked him a question but he was pretty sure that it was an order.

"Cho, can you give me a hand?" Choji immediately came closer to Shikamaru effortlessly pulled him up. Mirai slept peacefully in front of the fireplace. He was just glad that she didn't wake up. They made their way over to the couches and sat down. Kurenai and Kakashi sat down on one and he and Choji took the opposite one while Sakura, Ino and Naruto took the one adjacent to theirs.

"So what is it that we need to discuss?" Shikamaru asked the Hokage.

"Your intention to become the Hokage." It seems like all of them wanted to know more about that.

"He can hardly help himself right now, let alone become the Hokage." Kurenai stated.

"That doesn't mean he can't be the Hokage." Choji innocently pointed out. Choji was at least on his side so I guess that was a good sign.

"Asuma-sensei did say that he would make a great Hokage." Ino memory was as sharp as ever. Shikamaru actually forgot about that conversation with Asuma. He actually wanted what the Sarutobi would've said in this situation.

"It has always been my dream to become the Hokage and protect the village and the people who live in it. Everyone knows that and I have done my best to try and reach that goal but I did abandon the village instead of asking for help so how can I become the Hokage when I can't admit that I need help and ask the people in the village for it? Shikamaru has always been loyal to village no matter what happened. He is the smartest person I know and he would lay his life down to protect his friends and the village. I am going to stop becoming the Hokage and support Shikamaru's goal to become the Hokage then." He definitely didn't expect Naruto to say that. At least Naruto also believed in him so he was grateful for that.

"I guess that settles it. When Kakashi-sensei steps down then Shikamaru will become the next Hokage." Ino concluded.

"Is it my turn to finally speak and clear this whole thing up?" Shikamaru asked them.

"Go ahead." Kakashi permitted him.

"Yesterday afternoon, Sakura asked me who would be a better Hokage than Naruto right now and I said that I would be a better Hokage simply because of the fact that Naruto did not trust his friends enough to turn to them and ask for help. He was naïve and kind of arrogant but he has shown that he understood where he went wrong. He accepts his faults and he is working on it. I never once said that I want to become the Hokage. That job is too much work for me anyway but there was no way I was going to allow Naruto to become the Hokage until he accepted his faults. Now that he has accepted it, I am going to work him until he is worthy of becoming the Hokage again. I'm going to break him down until he builds himself up to be as great a shinobi as his father was so that he can become just as great an Hokage as Lord Fourth. You up for that Naruto?" Shikamaru asked him.

"Hell yeah. I'm going to show you that I can become the Hokage." Naruto definitely had his resolve back.

"Kakashi-sensei, I am going to start my physical therapy today so I can begin working again." He informed the Hokage.

"That's good to hear. I was going to call a meeting with you, Choji and Ino later in the week." That was interesting, what could Kakashi want with the three of them? It's not like Shikamaru could go on missions right now.  
"The Kage and the representatives of the Shinobi Union are coming here next week to discuss who the leader of the Shinobi Union should be and discuss an improved trade relationship between the five nations. The Ino-Shika-Cho relationship is arguably the strongest in the village so I would like the three of you to be present in that meeting." At least it wasn't a mission. Still a troublesome task but it was bearable. He had to get back into the swing of things anyway so what better way than this? He turned to Choji and Ino to see their responses but they looked like they were leaving the decision up to him.

"We'll be there then." Shikamaru agreed and the Hokage nodded to confirm. "Is there anything else that we still need to discuss?"

"Your date with Shiho." Ino quickly replied making him instantly regret asking his last question.

"It wasn't a date. We were working on deciphering a message that was sent during the Third Shinobi War." He informed them.

"Were you guys able to decipher it?" This clearly interested Kakashi.

"It was a Hand Print code. It's something I taught the four of them to use when we were younger. I taught Shiho how to do it yesterday since whoever sent the message was using it. She left before we were able to discover the key to reading the message so you'll have to ask her if she was able to decipher it yet." He hoped that everyone was clear on what happened between him and Shiho now.

"What's a 'Hand Print' code?" Kurenai asked them.

"It's when you write the key to decipher the message on your fingers and each letter in the message relates to one of the letters of the key." Naruto explained but it clearly confused the older shinobi.

"It's a juvenile way of sending a coded message but the way it was used in the message that Shiho is trying to decipher is definitely from a highly skilled ninja." Shikamaru added.

"I want to be kept up to date about what she finds." Kakashi stated and Shikamaru nodded in reply this time.  
"That's all that I came to talk about I guess." Kakashi said as he stood up.

"I will see you tomorrow." Shikamaru told the copy ninja.

"I look forward to having you back at work." He wanted to believe that Kakashi had a smile on his face under his mask but knowing Kakashi, he didn't know if the Hokage even knew how to smile. He was always serious, just like Sasuke. Maybe that's why they got along so well with each other.

"See you around Kakashi." Kurenai told him as she stood up as well and walked with him to the door.

"See you around as well. Look after her." He motioned to the cute child sleeping sound fully in front of the fireplace. Shikamaru had almost forgotten about her as they spoke.

"With my life." Kurenai replied.

"Goodbye everyone." Kakashi greeted them before he and Kurenai disappeared from their sight.

"So you and Shiho…"

"There's nothing going on between us Ino." Shikamaru cut Ino off before she could say anything else.

"Are you sure?" He knew Ino loved pushing his buttons but now it was just irritating him.

"I'm sure." He hoped that silenced her but knowing the Yamanaka, this was only the beginning.

"So what is everyone up to later? Let's get all of us together again then we can hangout." Ino suggested.

"Yeah. It's been too long since we've all been together like the last time." Naruto agreed.

"We can use my house again." Sakura offered.

"Sleepover again. I've got to go spread the word." This sounded like it was going to be troublesome especially if Ino was so excited about it.

"I need to go get ready for my physical therapy so I will see you guys later then." Shikamaru told them as he stood up.

"We need to make sure all our friends now so let's split up and try to find them." Ino gave their orders.

"See you later Shikamaru." Choji greeted him before they left his house while Kurenai came back inside.

"I'm going to wash me so I think you should put Mirai somewhere safer to sleep if you're going to do something." Shikamaru suggested.

"You're really like her father sometimes." Kurenai replied as she knelt down next to her child then gently picked her up while wrapping the blanket around her.

"As long as she's safe then I will be whatever I need to be for her." His reply left a smile on her face. He really loved the little girl and he could see that Kurenai loved her even more. Mirai was definitely going to be surrounded by people who loved her as she grew up. He just hoped that she didn't become another troublesome girl.

 **THERE WE ARE, ANOTHER CHAPTER DONE. HOPEFULLY YOU GUYS HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT WHAT I AM PLANNING YET AND HOPEFULLY YOUR HATRED FOR ME HASN'T GROWN THAT MUCH. I MEAN, HOW BADLY COULD I HAVE POSSIBLY DONE IN THIS CHAPTER. I AM JUST ANOTHER STUPID GUY ANYWAY SO PLEASE DON'T HATE ME THAT MUCH. I PROMISE I WILL DO BETTER NEXT CHAPTER SO UNTIL THEN, SEE YA…**


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